


Dreams are a gateway to the heart

by Smolwillybean



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha Marco Bott, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Annie's a bitch, BAMF Marco, Bertholdt and Reiner both lie about who they are, Beta Hange Zoë, Brainwashing, Eren Yeager Needs a Hug, Eren got drugged, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/F, I accidentally started sympathizing with Bertholdt, I was half asleep when I wrote that part I'm sorry, M/M, Mating Marks, Mikasa and Eren aren't related, Minor Character Death, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Omega Eren Yeager, Omega Jean Kirstein, Omegaverse, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Sorry Not Sorry, Soulmates, Temporary Amnesia, There will be a warning in the chapter, Tooth Rotting Fluff, Unrequited Love, and soul rotting smut, but he's kinda crazy, but it's not with eren and levi, i guess?, so does armin, there's a lot of smut in this, they're pretty happy tbh, they're really close friends though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2020-07-29 17:49:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 67,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20086273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smolwillybean/pseuds/Smolwillybean
Summary: To say Eren was unhappy with his life was an understatement, caught in a loveless marriage with virtually no freedom, it was hard to consider himself lucky just because things could have been far worse.He had expected to be trapped, though when he started having weird dreams and falling for a man who was supposedly his lover, his views of what was real and what was fictitious became skewed. Finding himself trapped under the thumb of his husband whose motives were unknown to the omega, Eren has to root himself out of the mess of missing memories if he wants to have his happily ever after with Levi, not to mention find out the truth about his life that had been hidden from him.





	1. Odd Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAH it's ya boy, smolwillybean and uh....
> 
> Oh god, I've been trying to convince myself to post this for weeks now, I already have like 3 chapters finished and each chapter is pretty long so I'm assuming this story will by like 7-10 chapters long? I hate my writing so much though so I kept dropping this and picking it back up and re-writing it. This isn't by any means my first story but it's my first for attack on titan and the first that I'm dead set on actually finishing. 
> 
> That being said, take note of the tags and the summary, I really didn't want to spoil anything for my story through the tags but at the same time, I did want to mention all the ships that are involved in this story. I'm sorry for any mistakes, I'm not the best writer but I hope you can still enjoy my story~
> 
> note (11/5/19): I'm going back and re editing the story since I took such a long hiatus, I reread it and realized that when I was editing the story I had left in parts I had meant to cut out in my rush to get it posted. Once the first three chapters are re edited I'll post the fourth.

Eren knew he should consider himself to be lucky, while most omegas lived a life of servitude beneath a controlling alpha, he had been chosen by a rather unique alpha for a mate. Even while he was aware of this, Eren couldn’t quell the bitter hatred he held for his marriage. Yes, Eli had given Eren far more freedom than any of his peers, but that didn’t mean he was content with the fact that Eli could control him if he desired to. The omega would have never agreed to marry a man he didn’t love if he had been given a choice, making their marriage a clear display of power Eli had over Eren.

The only comfort Eren had about the arrangement was that he hadn’t been forced to conceive a child, and while that only stirred up gossip around the neighborhood about the brunette being ‘infertile’ he just ignored the talk. He preferred their idle chatter far more than forcing himself to sleep with a man he couldn’t stand. Regardless of how he hadn’t yet been forced into conceiving, the omega was painfully aware of how it would only be a matter of time before his alpha was fed up with waiting.

As time passed, Eli was getting more impatient, Eren knew this well. He could smell it on him and sensed how tense his mate was. They hadn’t had any sort of sexual contact since the night of their wedding six months prior, and Eli was anxious to touch his omega. Eren couldn’t help it, he couldn’t help the fact that he wasn’t comfortable sleeping with someone he could barely tolerate, let alone bear a child in a loveless marriage. The idea left him feeling dirty, and while he couldn’t say he didn’t want children there was no way he would bring a child up under these circumstances. 

As impossible as the idea seemed in a world where he had no rights, Eren dreamed of escaping from Eli’s hold. Maybe then he could find a partner he truly loved and desired to start a family with. The worst part was that Eren felt that if Eli didn’t hold so much power over him, he might have actually fallen for the gentle alpha. 

The home the two lived in was quite cozy, and while Eli would spend the majority of the day at work, Eren was free to occupy his time reading in the study. On nice days, he preferred the garden, curled up beneath his favorite tree. Wherever he chose to go, the omega always had a book in his hands, living vicariously through the protagonists of different novels. It helped him to forget just how desperate he was to be free of his caged life. 

His current venture followed a handsome king whose lover had been cursed by a witch. The romance had began sweetly enough between a couple fated to be together only for the curse to spur heartache within the palace walls. The king sought the cure to his lover’s curse in addition to revenge against a witch who had become a menace to the kingdom. The concept of an alpha going to such lengths just to save his omega was one that would have been lost on most people, as omegas such as Eren were considered expendable. 

Hours passed effortlessly as Eren enveloped himself in the tragedy hoping that the story might take a brighter turn. Around the time Eren had reached the halfway point, he had begun to feel drowsy although he tried to push himself to read on, spurred by the need to see the resolution.

Soon enough, the sun was setting and the temperature was gradually dropping. Eren wasn’t able to tell when the vivid imagery of the novel stopped being spurred by the words on the paper and merged with his dreams, but regardless the cool evening breeze was replaced with the warmth of soft silk sheets. 

Eren shot up from bed with a gasp. His head was throbbing and as he gathered his bearings he found something a bit unusual about his surroundings. This wasn’t his room, he was sure he had fallen asleep in his own bed, but-- 

“My prince, you’ve woken, are you alright?” An anxious voice called to Eren. He glanced up to see a strikingly familiar face, and yet his headache was keeping him from thinking properly. The man sitting beside his bed was a tall, freckled alpha, dressed in light armor with a rapier strapped to his side. 

“I’m fine, but why am I not in my own bed?” Eren asked as he moved to stand up, only to have a firm hand gently press against his chest, guiding him back against the bed. 

“Please don’t move too much, I need to send for the doctor and the king, they’ll want to know you’re awake” The man said calmly, a comforting smile gracing his features. The smell of concern pouring from the alpha was difficult to ignore, so Eren didn’t resist. He nodded and held his head in his hand, trying to ignore the throbbing pain. The knight walked to the door, speaking in a hushed tone to a guard standing just beyond the door, who quickly sprinted off. Taking another good look at his face, Eren finally was able to process the familiar face in front of him. The knight that had been tasked with his protection. How could he have forgotten?

“Marco, what happened?” He asked, from the alpha’s reaction, he hadn’t just woken up from a light nap.

“My prince, you’ve been in a coma for months now. A witch had cursed you, no one expected you to wake until the curse was broken” Marco explained.

“Months?” Eren couldn’t contain his shock, it felt as if he had only been asleep for a few hours longer than usual, not as though he had been dead to the world for months. 

“Yes, even now, we still know very little about your condition.” 

“Where’s Levi?” Eren demanded. He was doing his best not to panic, but given the situation that was easier said than done. 

Marco opened his mouth to answer, but the guard sent to retrieve the king and doctor had returned with perfect timing.

“Sir, the doctor is on their way and his majesty--” He started, only to be cut off.

“Jean, move aside.” A commanding tone stated. It was a voice that commanded respect and Eren doubted that even the most prideful of alphas would be immune to its influence. It was a voice he recognized well and drew comfort from.

Eren looked up to see the king, his lover, pushing Jean aside and striding into the room. His face was stoic and calm, but Eren knew his mate well enough to know that after what Marco had told him, Levi would be anxious and worried.

Levi’s eyes fell on Eren and it was enough to knock the breath out of his lungs. Eren may have been unconscious during the past several months, but the passion in his eyes felt so foriegn after so long and had his heart racing just as it did when they had first met years ago.

“Eren” The king’s eyes softened as he hastily walked to his lover’s side and knelt beside the bed. “Eren, darling, are you alright?” He asked, taking Eren’s hand into his own. 

Eren tried to compose himself the best he could, he nodded and gave the king a soft smile. 

“I’m fine, I’m sorry if I had worried you. Marco told me I had been cursed. Is it serious?” 

The king seemed relieved, yet there was an underlying fear laced into his scent.

“I’m afraid so, I was afraid you would never wake up.” Levi squeezed Eren’s hand. “We have yet to capture the woman who put you under this wretched curse to begin with.”

Suddenly a beta pushed Jean out of the way to rush into the room with an excitement that was almost terrifying. “Ah! Our beloved prince lives! I have so many tests to do, what was it like being in a curse induced coma, could you hear anything that was happening around you, did you dream at all, what’s it like to live in total darkness for a month?” They blabbered on, very obviously irritating Levi. 

“Enough, Hange. Eren’s curse, has it been lifted or not?” The king hissed out, shooting a glare at the beta. 

“Ah, you raise an excellent question. Let's hope this curse has somehow been reversed” Hange snickered and looked over Eren, trying to contain their excitement. 

Hange nonchalantly tugged Eren’s shirt off, regardless of the angry grumble that came from Levi, they were used to dealing with his grumpy antics by now. Eren was guided to lean forward as the doctor inspected his back and clicked there tongue. 

“It seems the curse has receded for the moment but hasn’t fully left his body,” They said, excitement leaving their voice as they looked over Eren’s back. Beneath his skin, it almost looked like dark bruising had formed, however, it rippled and swirled beneath the surface lively as the magic from the curse fought to regain its power. He fell back against the bed when Hange finished looking him over, listening to their synopsis of the situation.

“For the moment it’s at bay, something is fighting the magic in Eren’s body and I’m assuming that’s the reason he woke up, but unless we find the source of this ‘antibiotic’ of sorts, we can’t guarantee that the curse won’t regain its power over his body” Hange said slowly, knowing that this news wasn’t exactly what their king wanted to hear. “I’m sorry, Levi” They murmured sympathetically. As morose as the mood of the room was, Eren could see the glimmer return to Hange’s eyes as they tried to contain their need to examine Eren’s condition more thoroughly. He feared just what the doctor had in store for him.

“What’s going to happen to me, then?” Eren questioned, recapturing the Hange’s attention. 

“You may fall back into a coma. I’ll try to see if I can come up with any clues on what may have woken you. My assistant may have better luck with that than myself” Hange said, their smile returning. Maybe they couldn’t examine Eren at the moment without having an angry midget tearing out their throat but they  _ could  _ research more on the curse. “I’ll consult Petra about it as well, now that you’re awake I’m sure she’ll have an easier time pinning down a cure for your curse” 

Eren glanced back to Levi to find that he was staring down at the floor. 

“Leave.” He stated bluntly. Jean left without question while Hange followed to start their investigation. Marco seemed a bit more hesitant, possibly because he had been the one keeping watch over Eren and was still worried about the omega’s wellbeing, but went knowing better than to defy the king. The brunette’s gaze fell back on Levi, surely the king was hurting at the potential threat of having his mate pulled back under the influence of the curse.

“Levi--” 

Eren was pulled swiftly into a warm kiss, soft lips pressed against his own. He found it strange that a few months had been long enough to make such tenderness feel so foreign. This made his heart race, it felt right.

“I’ve missed you. I was so worried that I had lost you” Levi breathed out, leaning his forehead against Eren’s. 

“I’m fine. I believe in Hange’s ability to find a cure for my condition” He said softly.

“Your right. If they don’t, I’ve found that damn witch. I can send her to her grave” Levi muttered. He planned to do as such regardless but at least if Eren was safe there would be no rush. “I’ll take you back to our room” 

Levi lifted Eren swiftly. He was still wrapped in his sheets like a little cocoon as he was carried out of the room and down the hall. Eren still marveled at the idea that someone so short was strong enough to carry him so effortlessly. He had a few inches on the king, after all. 

Levi sat Eren down in the comfortable silk sheets of their shared bed, which Eren nuzzled into fondly, easily relaxing with the familiar territory. Eren glanced up only to see Levi gazing down at him with a captivated expression.

“What? What is it?” Eren asked, his cheeks heating up. 

“Nothing, you’re just cute.” Levi chuckled. 

“I’m not cute” He muttered after a moment, looking away. 

“That’s cute,” Levi said, crawling onto the bed and falling beside Eren. He wasn’t sure just how long he had with his lovely prince before he would succumb to the curse again but he was intent on spending every second by his side until then. He nestled his face against Eren’s neck and placed soft kisses against his soft skin, eliciting a surprised gasp from the omega. 

“I’ve missed you” Levi murmured

“I know” Eren strung his fingers through the alpha’s hair, enjoying the exciting rush he got every time Levi touched him. The alpha hovered over him, smiling down at Eren. 

Suddenly Levi paused, although it looked as though he hadn’t been finished with their little affections. Something had caught his eye that he couldn’t ignore, Eren looked up at him curiously, not wanting the tender touches to fade so soon but the scent of anger flowed freely from the alpha in waves that threatened to suffocate the omega. The strength and intensity was enough to inspire fear in his own scent. What had made Levi angry so quickly?

“What the  _ fuck  _ is that!?” Levi hissed out, glaring daggers at Eren’s neck. After a second of initial confusion, Eren became aware of the fact that Levi was looking at the right side of his neck. He gaped dumbfoundedly, the scent seeping from the alpha was becoming paralyzing. 

“Someone marked you!” Levi continued, sitting up to kneel on the bed. “Who would  _ dare  _ touch my omega?” Eren had yet to wear Levi’s mark as they had decided to wait and it was clear that Levi wouldn’t have been able to see any way for that mark to have been consensual given Eren had been in a coma. He didn’t blame his omega yet Eren had a nagging feeling that this had been his own fault.

“Levi, I’m sorry” He choked out. Levi glanced back down to Eren, and inwardly cursed himself as he wiped Eren’s eyes. 

Eren hadn’t even noticed tears had started streaming from his eyes until he felt them being dried. 

“Shh, don’t cry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you like that..” He cooed, wrapping Eren into a tight hold and pulling him up against his chest. “I should have been more careful” He admitted, forcing himself to calm for his omega’s sake. He cursed himself for forgetting just how easily his pheromones could influence an omega. Eren’s head pressed against the alpha’s chest and he could hear the accelerated heart rate that proved that although Levi made the effort he hadn’t quelled the anger entirely. 

Eren would have liked to blame the pheromones for his reaction but it was likely also due to the fact that he was so unaccustomed to this kind of affection and he had  _ hurt  _ the alpha that had given it to him. 

“I’ll find Hange and let them know what’s going on, I know they can break this bond for you” Levi mumbled as he sifted fingers through Eren’s hair. He paused for a moment before continuing, “that is what you want, right?” He asked. His tone was not pressuring or aggressive, it was clear that despite how much he hated his mate being marked, Levi wouldn’t force him into something he wasn’t comfortable with. 

“Of course!” Eren spoke without thinking, then again it was likely the best anyways. He was supposed to wear Levi’s mark once they married.

“Stay here, I’ll go speak with Hange” Levi said, kissing Eren’s forehead and releasing him. He left the room and shortly after, Marco strode into the room with an uneasy expression. He had likely heard the ordeal from outside the room/

“Are you alright, sir?” Marco asked, seating himself beside the bed in a little chair. 

“I’m fine, just a little shaken” Eren sat up and leaned against the backboard of the bed. His headache was returning, it felt as though he was forgetting something important, but the more he tried to think the more fogged his mind felt. Not to mention his head felt as though it would explode. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Eren’s curiosity got the better of him. 

“Marco, how did you come to be the one assigned to my side?” He asked. Marco gave him a strange look and Eren laughed a little. “I’m sorry, It seems as though I have gaps in my memories, I’d assume it was from the curse” he added. It was strange that such random details were omitted from his memory, and if it were from the curse he hoped that it might wear off soon. 

But if this information was being hidden from him on purpose… 

“I see, well, I’m the king’s most trusted fighter. He knows that in his absence nothing could possibly harm you while I’m present. Or so we thought” Marco said, looking a bit guilty as his eyes glanced over the mate mark on Eren’s neck. 

“Levi wouldn’t ever accuse you of making this mark, would he?” Eren asked, to which Marco smiled. 

“No, it wouldn’t be possible. If I were unmated, the king never would have put me in charge of watching over you.” Marco said, proudly showing off the mark on his own neck. 

Eren’s eyes widen. He was aware that in order to fully complete a bond both the alpha and omega needed to have each other's marks but most alphas would never think to let their omega mark them. It was nearly impossible to break a completed bond and many alphas chose to have more than one omega wear their mark which would fade the moment an omega’s mark adorned their skin. Marco being mated means he couldn’t have been the one to make his mark, of course, Eren already knew that. He trusted Marco and never would have accused him, but it also meant he was cleared of suspicion. 

“Oh” Was all Eren could think to say. 

“In case you had forgotten this as well, my mate, Jean, serves beneath me and is trusted with your protection as well,” Marco said, looking like a happy puppy getting to show off a bone. 

From the hall, Eren could see Jean peeking in with an unamused expression, though it seemed like he was used to Marco fawning over him like he was the best thing to ever exist. 

“Do I have to stay here?” Eren asked, he was feeling adventurous and knew his friends were likely worried about him just as much as his mate and Hange had been.

“Of course not, however, the king would likely tear me a new one if I let you wander off alone in this condition,” Marco said with a smile, standing and helping Eren to his feet. “I’ll follow your lead, you can go wherever you wish, your highness,” Marco said

“You don’t need to be so formal with me, you can just call me Eren,” Eren said with a frown, he didn’t really like the special treatment, it felt too impersonal.

“Oh, some things never change, it’s not the first time you’ve tried telling Marco to call you by name” Jean snorted as Eren passed him into the hall. 

“If you’re more comfortable by calling me by my title I guess there’s no harm in it, then,” Eren said. The lack of memories left him feeling uneasy, he wondered just how much he had forgotten.

Marco gave Eren a grateful smile as he navigated through the palace, heading towards the spot he was sure his friends would be gathered. They ended up outside in the training grounds for the palace guards and Eren watched newer recruits he hadn’t been able to meet yet spared, while the more seasoned guards were practicing among themselves.

“Eren!” A woman screeched at the top of her lungs and came barreling towards him. 

“Mikasa!” Marco called out in warning but the woman ignored the knight and caught Eren in a bone-crushing embrace. 

“Mikasa, calm down I’m fine” Eren laughed, besides the fact that his ribs were threatening to break beneath her hold, it was nice to see his close friend again. 

“When did you wake up?”

“Not too long ago, actually”

“Hey, Mikasa, why did you suddenly-- Is that Eren!?” Sasha called out with a muffled shout and ran over, stopping beside Mikasa. “Look who’s back from the dead” she laughed out, around a mouth full of food, in her hand was a piece of bread which she had no doubt snagged without permission.

“We’ve all been… so worried about you” Sasha laughed as she swallowed and cleared her mouth.

“Oh cut the crap, you were more worried about having to deal with his majesty's tantrums over finding that damn witch” Jean snickered.

“Oh please, the king has nothing on Mikasa” Sasha muttered out and placed her hands on her hips. “Ever since what happened to Eren her usual overprotective behavior has been on steroids, she wouldn’t let me out of her sight!” she groaned. 

Mikasa didn’t even look the least bit apologetic over that information. 

“I do what I need to in order to protect my mate,” Mikasa said, her excitement simmering down to her usual stoic demeanor. 

“I’m flattered that you had been so worried but don’t take it out on Sasha” Eren raised an eyebrow at the woman. 

“Yeah, what he said! I’m strong enough to protect myself!” Sasha crossed her arms. 

“Sasha, yesterday you cried because you stubbed your toe on a door” Mikasa muttered. 

“Hey that is not true, I didn’t cry because of the stupid door, I spilled my soup on the ground because of that evil thing!” Sasha whined out. “It was bad enough I lost my delicious soup but when the king saw the mess he made me scrub the entire hall three times” 

“Whatever you say, crybaby” Jean teased, earning a glare from Mikasa. 

“Shut it, at least Sasha doesn’t look like a damn horse” Eren shot at Jean. 

The guard lunged at Eren only to be restrained by Marco’s arms wrapping around his middle. 

“Jean, I love you, but we’re supposed to protect the prince, not fight him” Marco reasoned. 

“He’s antagonizing me! Besides, we go further back than his damn title, that’s not gonna change all because he’s fated to be with the king” Jean huffed. 

Eren smiled, but their little reunion was interrupted around that time not that Eren minded in the slightest.

“There you are” Levi’s voice rang through Eren’s ears and he turned back. Levi walked up beside Eren and wrapped his arms around the omega’s waist.

“I’m glad you’re able to proceed so smoothly as though you hadn’t ever left,” The king said with a hint of a grin. 

“I’m glad I have the chance to spend time with everyone” Eren hummed. 

“Sorry to cut things short, but my brat of an omega had left me for a full month, and I expect a little time with him first” Levi announced and lifted Eren effortlessly over his shoulder.   
  
How was someone so short so damn strong?

“Hey, I can walk on my own!” Eren protested 

“See ya Eren, if you leave us for several months again you’re gonna owe me lunch!” Sasha called out with a wave before running back off, fingers linked with Mikasa’s. 

Marco placed a kiss on Jean’s cheek and followed the king from a distance.

Levi took Eren down the hall to Hange’s lab, but the beta was missing from the room. In their place, Petra was seated at a desk with a book open on the desk. 

“Eren, I’m glad to see you up and running again” The girl called out with a soft smile. “Levi told me about the mark on your neck, my partner may be practically useless with magic, but I think I might be able to help you remove it. But first I think it may be more important that we find out who had been the one to mark you, to begin with," she continued, looking up from her book. 

“Do you have any ideas as to who may have marked you?” Levi asked, setting Eren down. 

“Not a clue. I haven’t been awake all this time, and I would have never guessed that anyone would have tried to interfere with our relationship” Eren said, puzzled. 

“I never assumed anyone close enough to put there hands on you would have, anyway.” Levi retorted.

“Sir, if I may ask, is it possible that this may have something to do with the curse? Between Jean and I, I know that no one would have been able to touch Eren” Marco suggested.

“You bring up an interesting question, with the nature of this curse still unknown it’s hard to tell what is and isn’t possible for the caster to do to Eren.” Petra sighed. “I’ve seen a few cases that seemed similar to this, from the same witch in fact, but rather than finding a way to break the curse, the spells have been mostly cured by means of bargaining with the caster.” 

“So you’re saying we need to give that witch what she wants?” Levi scowled. 

“That’s not what I’m saying at all, I’m saying that since no one has found a cure on their own I have nothing to go off of. I’m starting from scratch” Petra said, a grin slipping onto her face as she cracks her knuckles and stands. “In situations like this is where some of my best work happens” she said confidently

  
The girl circles Eren curiously, feeling over the shoulder where his skin had been physically affected by the curse. 

“Do you remember anything from when you were in a coma, like dreaming or hearing anything going on around you?” 

“No, I feel like I’ve forgotten something very important, but trying to think about it makes my head hurt” Eren admitted.

“Huh, maybe it’ll come back to you eventually. For now, I need to buy us some time. The curse is in recession for now, and I think I have something that may just keep it that way” Petra said, crossing the room over from the desk to a glass case. She ran her fingers over various sizes of glass bottles, looking for a specific one before pulling out a large purple bottle that almost resembled a wine bottle. “Here we go, this is an herbal remedy I think may help. I’m not sure just how long it’ll be able to fight off the curse, but it will do the trick for the moment.” 

The bottle was placed into Eren’s hands. 

“Drink about a fourth of a cup of this each night. It’ll make you drowsy, so try not to take it until you plan to sleep for the night.” Petra instructed. “Come back in the morning so Hange and I can take another look at you. We’ll need to figure out what to do that mark, anyways”

With that, Eren was whisked back to the bedroom with, what he hoped to be, a step in the direction of curing the curse that plagued his body. 

No sooner than when the herbal mixture touched his lips, and Eren drank down the remedy did he feel his body screaming for sleep. Safely tucked away in his shared room, he didn’t bother fighting the need to rest as he was pulled back into an all too familiar state of unconsciousness, which was far less relieving than a normal night’s rest.

~~Odd Dreams~~

Eren could recall falling asleep in the embrace of the cool garden, leaning against a tree, but as he woke he found himself wrapped up in bed with Eli looking over him. “Eren, are you alright? I found you passed out in the garden last night and I couldn’t wake you” He said, his scent tinged with concern

“I’m fine, I was just tired,” he says, his tone not necessarily hostile, but still rather cold. He had to remind himself that Eli hadn’t done anything wrong and that he was his mate, but the idea just irked him further. He couldn’t really explain his irritation any further than something felt off that he couldn’t figure out.

“Alright, well then you should stay in bed and rest a little longer,” Eli said and stood up, sensing his omega’s irritation but choosing to say nothing. “I have to go to work. I have business to take care of so I’ll be gone for a few days, try not to push yourself too hard,” He said, kissing Eren’s forehead and walking out of the room.

Eren yawned and debated going back to sleep for a few seconds. He really could use the extra rest and that strange nagging feeling left him feeling strangely empty. 

The need to be active got the better of Eren, he got on his feet and hid away in the bathroom, showering and cleaning himself up before dressing himself in comfortable casual wear. He had hoped he might be able to wash the heavy thoughts from his mind from following his usual routine, but the quiet time only gave him time to think. 

The more Eren tried to place just what was making him feel on edge the more irritated he got. Nothing seemed out of place, and Eli had been behaving just as he usually did. The only strange occurrence had been how he fell asleep in the garden and with how often that happened it wasn’t truly all that strange.As he finished dressing and walked outside to the garden, he had been stopped suddenly. 

“Hello” A soft voice called out from across the garden, Eren glanced up to see an omega with blonde hair sitting on the bench beside his usual resting spot. “My name is Armin” 

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Eren” Eren responds politely while trying to figure out the reason this new person would have appeared so suddenly. 

The confusion must have shown on his face because Armin simply giggled to himself. 

“I’m sorry if this is a bit sudden, I figured Eli would have told you I was coming. He had something to take care of with my alpha, so they decided I would stay here with you while they’re gone” Armin explained softly. “Vincent doesn’t trust me on my own, so I guess this was his way of ensuring that I would ‘behave’” 

“Is that so?” Eren smiles a little, this omega seemed to have a bit in common with himself then. “Hopefully you weren’t waiting on your own for too long, it would have been nice for Eli to give me a heads up” 

Armin laughed, and Eren couldn’t help but feel that the boy seemed to be relieved in a way. He could understand why. no doubt he was skeptical to trust that Eren was someone he could openly talk to. 

“I’ve been here for a while but it’s not a problem, you have a nice place here, I’ve mostly just occupied myself with reading,” Armin says, gesturing to a book at his side. 

“Well, why don’t we go inside for some tea. I’d love to talk to someone about a good story” Eren suggested, to which Armin agreed quickly

Heading inside, Eren put a kettle on and set out a bowl of grapes, strawberries, and blueberries, quicker than throwing together a whole breakfast but enough for the two omegas to snack on while they talked. 

Once the tea had finished brewing the boys sat and discussed the novels they had each been reading through. They discussed different stories they had each read and suggesting new ones to each other all afternoon.

The entire afternoon was spent reminiscing over all of their favorite books, finding they had a lot more in common than they had initially expected. That evening had been one of the happiest ones Eren could remember, he and Armin chatted as though they had known each other for years and not only a few hours, and by the time evening rolled around the two had gotten so wrapped up in their discussions that they had lost track of time until one of the servants angrily ordered them to go to their respective rooms, likely spurred by Eli’s concern over Eren passing out the following night.

Eren went back to his own room, and after winding down and slipping into his nightwear, he pulled out his book once again telling himself he’d only read ‘a little bit’ before bed. The moment he flipped the book open his head began to throb again, memories of the previous evening were coming back to him, or at least memories of his  _ dream _ the previous evening. As Eren read on that feeling of unease he had carried all day began to sink away as his forgotten dream came back to him. He wasn’t sure just why it had bothered him so much, but he chose to shrug it off as he read into the book further. Instead of picking up where he left off as the king had searched for a way to remove the prince’s mate mark, which seemed strangely similar to his recovered dream, Eren found himself reading into the prince’s past.

The prince had grown up in poverty, his father having left and his mother struggling to support her child until she died an early death. Eren read about how the prince had a close friend that had cared for him after the death of his mother, and it seemed to have been the only reason he survived long enough to become a prince. He was sure he was getting close to learning just how the prince became royalty when he felt sleep tugging at his eyelids, and once again he was unable to fight it.

Eren woke up in the bedroom of the king, snuggled up to Levi’s bare chest beneath the silk sheets. This time, he woke with the full realization that he was dreaming, unlike the previous night. This wasn’t the first time Eren had dreams that felt so vivid and lifelike, and it wasn’t the first time they had continued for multiple days, however this was the first time he had been able to remember it so clearly after waking up. Somehow this felt just a little bit different. 

After all, his previous ‘life-like’ dreams had only been of a woman speaking to him, he couldn’t remember much other than that but he had never dreamt about any of the stories he had read like this.

Eren’s thoughts were cut short as he was distracted by the strong arms wrapped around his waist, holding him in a protective embrace. Levi was still asleep. Eren wanted to get a look around but he also didn’t want to wake the sleeping king.

Eren settled for his own thoughts at the moment. Maybe he was simply just an omega drunk on hope for love and happiness, letting himself get swept away by his dreams. He had growing suspicions that this was more than just a dream, or maybe it was just his own desperate desire that he could find a love like this. It seemed impossible, but if he were to never wake up he could honestly say he would be far happier.

Eren hadn’t noticed Levi stirring beside him until he felt lazy kisses being pressed against his forehead and fingers combing through his messy locks. 

“Good morning, beautiful” he purred, making Eren’s cheeks flush. Levi could sense Eren’s embarrassment and it brought a chuckle out of him. “You’re still so easily flustered” he sighed in amusement. 

“And you’re sappy” Eren retorted with a teasing grin. 

“Am I? I figured I was just stating the obvious” Levi said with a smirk. He leaned down to capture the omega’s lips in a chaste kiss before sitting up. 

Eren turned over onto his side, looking over Levi fondly. “Will you mark me once we get rid of the mark I have now?” He asked curiously. Though he knew better than to hope it would truly break the mark or tie him down to this fictional character he was falling for, his instincts made him desperate to try. If he could remove his mate mark then he could also prove to himself that this was more than just a dream.

Levi turned back and brushed his fingers over the mark with a puzzled expression “If that’s what you wish then I wouldn’t hesitate, but didn’t you want to wait until our wedding night?” Levi asked a bit confused. 

“Did I?” Eren asked pensively. 

Levi sat up, hovering over Eren as though checking to make sure there were no sighs of ailment. Clearly, his lack of memory of the subject had been a cause for concern for the alpha. After a moment, however, it seemed that something in Levi’s mind clicked. “Marco said you had forgotten some things. I guess that may have been one of them” 

“I’m sorry,” Eren replied sheepishly. 

“You have nothing to be sorry about, this is more than likely another symptom of the curse.The effects should fade once the curse is broken. For now, we should check to see if Hange’s made any progress,” Levi says, offering his hand to Eren which he took and pulled himself to his feet. 

After dressing, the two head down to Hange’s cluttered study. Hange was sitting with a book in their lap, another in their hand, and a third laying open on their desk as they searched for the solution to their problems. 

“Hange” Levi called out as he stepped through the open doorway. 

“Ah~ Levi, I think I’m starting to get somewhere!” Hange yells loudly, jumping up and knocking one of their books to the ground.    
  


“Well, go on, then,” Levi said through gritted teeth, trying to withhold the urge to snap about Hange leaving the book on the ground. 

“I can’t pinpoint exactly what kind of curse Eren has, but I have a theory that while Eren’s under the influence of the curse, the witch that cursed him has power of his soul. Enough to even mark his physical body” Hange says, looking through the pages. 

“ _ What? _ ” Levi demands. He could easily put two and two together. If Eren’s physical body could be affected while the curse was afflicting his body, then far worse could be done to him as well. 

Eren flinched back, taking Levi’s hand and rubbing it soothingly, he’d rather not see the alpha getting all worked up, but being beside Eren and holding his hand seemed to be enough to ground the king.

“Do you propose a solution?” Levi asks. 

“Other than observing Eren when the curse starts affecting him again? Mark him as soon as you can after the bond is broken” Hange shrugs. Levi went silent. 

“Levi?” Eren glanced to his alpha. No, he glanced at  _ an  _ alpha. It was becoming harder for him to remind himself that none of this was real.

“Eren, I’m not sure if I should mark you just yet. If you were to regret it after the curse is lifted…” Levi starts, looking conflicted. 

“No, don’t think about that. This is my decision and even if I had wanted to wait, what would be the point if there was a risk that I could be taken from you? I could never regret my decision if it were to keep me by your side” Eren says firmly, Levi met his gaze as if searching for something, Eren’s confidence seemed enough to put his mind at ease. 

“Alright, Hange, we’ll remove the mark from Eren as painlessly and quickly as possible” Levi murmurs. 

Hange nods with a smile, it seemed as though they were content with this solution. The beta seemed genuinely worried about their predicament which Eren appreciated. They just had an odd way of expressing themself occasionally.

“Alright, then shoo! I can’t work with you little lovebirds crowding my space!” Hange swatted their hands at the two. 

“We’re not the ones crowding you, it’s all this shit you leave lying around” Levi snorted. 

“Don’t you sass me, Mr. king” Hange rolled their eyes. Eren snickered and grabbed Levi’s hand, pulling him out into the hallway with him. 

“Tch, what a brat,” 

“Don’t worry about that right now, focus on me. I want your attention while I can still have it” It may have been selfish but the omega wanted Levi’s attention right now and that statement sure as hell got it. 

“Needy, are we?” Levi hummed with a smirk, wrapping his arms around Eren’s waist and kissing his neck. 

“Levi, not here” Eren started with a whine but then soon realized his mistake. The alpha had been holding out on his affection for several months, and Eren just invited it willingly in such an open space. 

“No? I thought you wanted me to focus on you~” Levi purrs, pressing Eren’s back against the wall opposite the study, a hand shifting the top to his nightwear out of the way in favor of feeling his toned abdominal region. 

Eren’s scent gave away his arousal and his want for touches fueled by love ate at his resolve, though he barely had any to begin with. 

Levi’s lips met the omegas and he playfully bit at his mate’s lower lip letting a low possessive growl rumble from his chest. It had been so long since he had been able to touch Eren like this and his scent barely even lingered on him anymore. He could easily change that. 

Eren gasped as Levi’s tongue entwined with his own in a fast-paced kiss that left him breathless. Levi’s hand slipped down the back of Eren’s pants and fingers pressed into him, he then realized he was already dripping with slick. It seemed to push the alpha further, leaving his lips to nip at his jaw, ears, and neck as fingers worked the omega open.

The brunette became aware of the bulge pressing against him and flushed deeply. Sure he had already been with Eli once, but that was the only time he had ever slept with anyone and he hadn’t grown out of the shy behavior caused by his lack of experience. 

“Do you want me to take you to the bedroom?” Levi questioned, seemingly ready to stop his teasing. 

Eren thought about it for a moment to find he couldn’t care less where they were, he just didn’t want to stop. He shook his head and buried his face into the alpha’s neck. 

That was all Levi needed before lifting Eren by his hips, pinning him in place between the wall behind him and his own hips pressing against him. Eren once again marveled at the short alpha’s strength. 

A high pitched mewl was dragged out of the omega as he felt the alpha’s clothed erection rubbing against his ass. It made the needy feeling increase tenfold as he became aware of the empty feeling and desire to be  _ filled. _ Eren was being driven into a frenzy and the arousal he could smell on Levi only made him sink deeper into the desire. 

He was the reason for that arousal. Levi was his mate and he wanted him.

Eren was lost in the sensation of bites and kisses on his skin, his nose being nestled against Levi’s neck and giving him a direct link to his pheromones that made him feel drunk on lust. His pants were shuffled out of the way and he felt that impressive length rubbing against his needy hole. 

“Levi!” Eren whimpered, he really wished he would stop with the teasing, he held onto the man’s shoulders tight. 

“Hmm, what is it Eren?” Levi played dumb with a sickeningly sweet tone. 

“Put it in,  _ please _ ” Eren nipped at his neck with sweet little kisses, hoping to coax his alpha into breaking. 

“Put what in where?” Levi couldn’t contain his laughter, watching Eren melt under his touch made him want to see just how far he could push his stubborn little omega. 

The growl that Eren responded with made it evident he wasn’t willing to beg just yet. He knew Eren’s body well enough to draw it out of him, though. His fingers pressed back into Eren and after a few unsuccessful attempts, he found the spot inside of him that would have him desperate for more attention. He hit Eren’s prostate head-on once and then proceeded to teasingly brush his fingers past it, barely touching it but still eliciting shivers out of his mate. 

“Eren, baby, just tell me what you want” He tried again, he was sure the omega was close to breaking. He was getting riled up so much easier than he used to, maybe months of inactivity had his body more sensitive to his touch. 

Eren started trying to rock his hips back against Levi’s fingers but it proved fruitless, as Levi seemed to anticipate every movement and moved accordingly. 

Tears welled in the corners of his eyes in frustration mixed with the teasing pleasure. 

If his alpha wanted him to submit to his will then fine, but not without adding his own bite to it. 

“Damn it Levi just fuck me,  _ please, _ ” he growled out, although that please was more like a dagger than a request. 

All at once his alpha pushed into him quickly in one thrust. Their foreplay had gotten him so slicked up that he barely even felt the stretch, though the ache of being filled for the first time in so long still came, it only took him a moment to adjust. It forced a loud moan from Eren of both pain and pleasure that truly complimented each other. 

“I love how firey you get” Levi cooed and kissed Eren again before he could complain about his lack of movement. The alpha set in a quick pace, holding Eren in a bruising grip as he plunged in and out of his omega, every moan pushing him onward. 

Eren kept his face buried against Levi’s neck, panting and moaning shamelessly despite the fact that they were in a hallway, not caring about who might see. 

Or maybe that just excited him further. 

Whoever saw them would know exactly who he belonged to, Eli’s mark be damned. Eren held onto his alpha tightly, cursing the shirt covering his torso which kept his nails from digging into his skin. Instead, he opted for biting at Levi’s neck, dancing around the spot in which his mark would go. 

“God, Eren you’re so tight. You have no idea what you do to me,” Levi breathed out in a husky tone. Each of his thrusts never failed to hit Eren’s prostate. He clenched around his alpha tightly as though he were still a virgin. It really had been a while since they had been together like this. 

Eren found himself finishing first, spilling over their chests and falling limp against Levi. To his dismay, his alpha still hadn’t finished, and the overstimulation to his sensitive prostate had him writhing in a nearly pained pleasure that drove him crazy. It hadn’t lasted long, though. As each little whimper that spilled from Eren’s lips had Levi getting closer to finishing. Soon enough he spilled inside of his omega but was careful not to knot him, knowing that it would be quite uncomfortable while standing up in the middle of the hall. 

As they basked in the afterglow of their passion, Levi pulled out of Eren but still held him against his chest. The moment felt perfect, and if they could stay that way for hours, Eren was sure they would have but it was not to be. The moment was swiftly shattered by a frustrated screaming. 

“God damn it, can you two go literally  _ anywhere  _ else” Hange screamed from behind the closed door. They didn’t really sound angry so much as just disgusted. 

It was then that Eren remembered that they were right on the opposite wall of the hall facing Hange’s study. His face burned in mortification, though Levi’s showed pride. He fixed his own clothing along with Eren’s before carrying him back to their room to wash him up. 

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you!” Eren accused with half-hearted anger. 

“Maybe, but I asked you if you wanted to come to the room” Levi stated showing no shame for their actions as he drew a bath and undressed his omega. 

“How am I supposed to ever face Hange again?” Eren mutters, covering his face with his hands. 

“I suppose you’d have to stand to look in their direction” Levi retorts calmly. 

“Your terrible humor isn’t helping” Eren huffs, but couldn’t contain a smile from tugging at his lips. 

“It isn’t? you don’t seem too upset, and all the tension you had before is gone” Levi hums as he places Eren in the water and undressed. 

The alpha was right about that. Eren felt more relaxed than he had in a long time and felt love that he had never felt before. He wondered if it was odd that he had fallen for Levi so soon but he pictured that if he were falling in love with a fictional character he shouldn’t have ever expected it to be normal. If he was being honest that love had started when he first started reading the story, anyways. 

Levi slipped into the tub behind Eren, setting out to wash up his mate, feeling the need to take care of him after such a vulnerable moment. It was so calming and soothing that as Eren relaxed back against Levi he started feeling his hold over his consciousness slipping again, Levi stilled at that, confused by the sudden dread that he was sensing from his mate as he fell asleep. 

~~Odd Dreams~~

Eren woke and lay for a moment in bed trying to push down the despair he felt. He wished with his entire being that he didn’t have to wake up. He hated that he couldn’t truly have Levi. he sighed to himself and lazily sat up, figuring it best if he didn't laze around while he felt like this. Besides, Armin was still in the guest room, and he wanted to spend more time with his newfound friend. He went to stand and hissed to himself as he became aware of a dull ache in his lower back. He froze in place as he thought over the events of his dream which he could still remember in vivid detail. He tried not to get his hopes up but he sprinted to the bathroom, stripping himself of his pajama top and stared at himself in the mirror. 

Tears stung the omega’s eyes and he didn’t even bother trying to stop them as he fell to a crumpled up heap on the bathroom floor, sobbing. He wasn’t sure how to process all of this, these dreams, the feeling of longing he felt. Moreover, he wished he could know how or why this was all suddenly happening. He began loathing his normal mundane life with his husband he didn’t truly love. He had been content before all of this. Maybe not content, but he was coping with his life just fine. But now he couldn’t push this hurricane of emotions out of his head. 

Why did any of this have to happen? 


	2. Two Worlds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so big huge warning here, towards the ending there's an extremely dub con scene that's like borderline noncon. I edited the tags as well, and yeah this chapter is really long and took a long time to edit. I kept rewriting and adding scenes and then suddenly I look up and it's 5:45 am, whoops. 
> 
> Anyways, my sleep schedule's screwed, but it already was, to begin with so oh well. 
> 
> Yeah, I'm...too tired to think of anything else, but I hope you all enjoy the madness that was the second chapter!
> 
> note (11/5/19): Chapter two has been edited again! Honestly this one was mostly fine, just fixing a couple typos mostly and adding a few things to better describe what was happening.

Armin woke rather early out of habit and decided that instead of waking Eren, he would read in the living room while he tepidly waited for his friend to join him for breakfast. It had been an unexpected, but pleasant, turn of events when Armin found that he was able to get along with Eren so well. The blonde had to admit that he hadn't expected his stay to go so well, however during his relief from his controlling alpha, he needed to have a discussion with Eren. It could be discussed over breakfast, he figured. 

Armin had been awake for an hour or so, trying not to let himself fall back to sleep, and it had seemed to be a losing battle between his cozy spot on the couch and the quiet, uneventful house offering nothing for him to do but delve into a book. The blonde had lost track of time during his fight for consciousness until he noticed something strange that begged for his attention. Armin perked up and glanced around, noting a worrying scent that had seeped into the living room. He shot up from the couch, that scent was nothing short of pure  _ omega distress _ . It wasn't hard to figure out that given the servants that roamed around the house were all betas, Eren was the only person who could have been the source. Armin followed the scent, being led to Eren's shared bedroom. 

The omega tentatively tapped at the door. 

"Eren?" Armin called out softly, his mind raced through the worst scenarios, most of which he had to remind himself were illogical. 

As seconds became minutes and still, there was no response, worry turned to dread. Armin was aware it wasn't wise or polite to enter a couple's shared space without their permission, but his concern for Eren outweighed his worry for manners. The blonde twisted the doorknob and nudged the door open, peeking into the room. The wave of pheromones hit him like a train the moment the door opened. There was a faint underlying scent that struck terror in Armin, making his heart pound rapidly as he pressed further and entered the room to search for Eren. 

"Eren?" He tried again, this time more frantically "I'm coming in" He warned, finding that the omega was absent from the bedroom itself, but the light to the attached bathroom was on. The door had been left slightly ajar, and when Armin approached and found Eren, his first glance made him gasp. 

Armin knelt beside a crumpled up Eren who lay on the floor, half-naked, covered in bruises and lovebites. The smell of distress was accompanied by the faint scent of an aroused alpha, leaving Armin to piece together what had happened in a way Eren knew was distorted. 

"Eren, was there someone else in here?" Armin pressed, comfortingly stroking Eren's back as the omega sobbed inconsolably. The faint scent was enough to alert Armin to the fact that an alpha hadn't been there recently, it was almost watered down. 

Eren's lack of response only fueled Armin's horrified fear for the brunette. In reality, Eren was conflicted and simply couldn't push words out. Then again, Eren knew that even if he could, he had no excuse for his state, and there was no way Armin would believe what had really happened. 

"Oh my god, I should go tell the servants, whoever did this--" Armin's voice was nearly hysteric. 

"No!" Eren cut in, looking through red, tear stained eyes. He grabbed Armin's wrist as he tried to leave, trying to bring forth the words to explain himself. 

"But Eren-" 

"I let him do it, Armin, please! No one can know about this," Eren said, frustration evident in his tone. He dried his eyes, determined to look firm rather than like the broken up mess he was in the moment. 

Armin's eyes widen as though he immediately understood, Eren was sure he would still have to explain further, but at least he realized that the brunette hadn't been forced into anything and also recognized the fear of being found out. Armin knew just how  _ terrified  _ Eren should have been. 

His friend might not realize it just yet, but he was confident that on top of the expected consequences that there would be certain dangers that Eren likely wouldn't know of. It was something they desperately needed to talk about, but first they needed to deal with their current situation. 

"Alright, I won't tell anyone, but before anything else, you need to calm down. If one of the servants come to investigate before we're finished, they'll reach the same conclusion I did." Armin said, recomposing himself to be the voice of reason. 

Eren nodded and let Armin pull him to his feet and pull his clothes off. 

"You need to shower, and we need to get your clothes washed. When we're done I fully expect you to explain what's going on" Armin said, aware of the fact that it might take a few cycles to get the scent out. 

Eren nodded again and without another word he got in the shower while Armin started covering up the incident. 

As soon as Eren was clean, Armin helped him to pick a high collared shirt to conceal the marks on his neck until they healed, appeased by the knowledge that they still had a few more days until the alphas returned. 

After finishing their ministrations, the omegas headed out to the garden, the one place they both knew there would be no risk of being overheard by the servants. 

"Alright, now what happened?" Armin asked with a tone as comforting as he could manage despite the fears he still had for Eren. "There were no traces of an alpha having been in your room, so did you sneak out or something?" He asked, even though his own theory was completely unrelated to that suggestion. Still, he was ready to scold Eren for being so reckless. 

Eren shook his head, still shaken but far calmer than he had been when Armin had first found him, to the latter's relief. 

"I didn't leave," Eren muttered lowly. 

"Don't tell me an alpha snuck in, I'm not buying it" Armin warned. Someone definitely would have noticed.

Eren shook his head and bit his lip. 

"Eren, please, trust me. You can tell me anything," Armin pressed, offering a soft smile. He was aware that Eren didn’t realize just how long they’ve known each other, but he hoped he might be able to still trust him.

Eren winced and glanced away, racking his brain for any excuse he could think of.

Armin was growing impatient, and Eren was just confirming that his suspicions might have been right. 

So he took a gamble. 

"I think I have a good idea as to what happened," Armin said with a sigh, pulling on Eren's chin to make him meet his gaze. "You found it, didn't you?" 

"Found what?" Eren looked at Armin in confusion. 

"That book, you found the book that lets you go to that other world," Armin said, a sly grin gracing his lips. 

The look of shock on Eren's face was priceless. 

"How did you--" 

Armin held up a book "If I had to guess, you didn't realize that anything that affects your body in that world follows you back here, yeah?" 

"I thought it was all just a dream" Eren croaked out, tears filling his eyes again. 

"Hey, hey, don't cry! I'm sorry, I didn't realize this would upset you," Armin said, rubbing Eren's back. 

"Armin, I love him! I don't know what to do" Eren sobbed out. 

"Oh well, uhm...I wouldn't feel too bad about it," Armin laughed nervously. 

"How could I not? The fact that I don't love Eli doesn't justify an affair, and if Levi knew I was married--" 

"Eli brainwashed you" Armin blurted out seriously. Eren went silent, and Armin chose his words carefully, not waiting for the brunette to respond before continuing. "This isn't the first time we have met. Eli wiped your memories, Vincent tried to do the same to me, but I picked up on the fact that I couldn't trust him by then, so I fooled him into thinking I had taken the ‘medicine' he gave me. He thought I lost my memories, he thought I wouldn't remember you." 

"Why would Eli need to erase my memories?" 

"I'd assume to keep control over you, they overheard me telling you about that other world, you didn't believe me back then but it was enough for them to feel the need to wipe our memories. I know it hadn't been the first time they did it either. It was probably just the first time I caught on in time.”

"Armin, that's insane!" Eren yelled incredulously 

"Whenever I try to think back, my head starts throbbing and I draw a blank" Armin huffs. "Eren, think back. Do you remember  _ anything  _ about your childhood?" 

Eren pursed his lips, unable to respond. He closed his eyes and tried to think. He retraced his memories, but the moment he tried to think back further than the past several months, his head throbbed. He wasn't able to think straight once he thought back that far, and it left him frustrated. 

Sure, Eren despised his marriage, but he had at least trusted Eli, and now he finds out he had been  _ brainwashing him?  _ Eren's entire life could have been a lie, and that bastard was to blame! The omega's head began to fog up as his thoughts raced, and Armin shouted for him as he collapsed in front of the blonde. 

"Eren?" 

"Eren! Are you alright?" 

Eren groaned in pain, coming to only a few minutes later. "Geez, my head is pounding" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you would blackout like that" Armin said quietly, 

"Armin, I need to know what's going on. I just...can't" Eren mumbled quietly. 

"It's ok, I understand. Let's get you inside, you should lay down" Armin said, pulling Eren up. 

"What if none of this is real?" Eren pondered, his mind focusing on the flood of memories from his ‘dreams' they felt too real. 

Armin was silent, he didn't have to voice the fact that he had started to have similar suspicions for Eren to know that he was thinking the same thing. But that was not a can of worms the blonde was ready to open just yet.

He just hoped their frantic search for an escape wasn’t giving them false hope. 

The rest of the day was spent with Eren grilling Armin for all of the details he had on their apparent brainwashing. Vincent had been far too attentive to watching Armin for him to have been able to keep tabs on Eren; though the blonde was convinced that Eli's altruistic behavior was nothing more than a facade. 

Eren's questions wandered onto the topic of the otherworld, as they had taken to calling it for simplicity's sake. Armin mentioned that the alpha he had met claimed he had been in a coma for nearly 8 months under the influence of the curse, only fueling Eren's belief that they might be trapped in a lie. 

Eren knew that the only way for him to find the truth would be to confide in the one person he remembered knew the most about magic. 

~~Two Worlds~~

"Petra, can I talk to you?" Eren asked sheepishly, stepping into the lab hesitantly. 

"Sure, what's up?" Petra twirled around in her chair, throwing her legs over the arms as she looked back to Eren. 

"It's about this curse." Eren started slowly, unsure of how to word his theory. 

"Oh! Did you remember something? You know, any little bit of information you can give me may help" Petra squealed enthusiastically. 

"Is it possible for this curse to take my soul to another reality?" Eren asked, choosing his words deliberately 

"Eren, are you trying to tell me--" 

"Petra, I thought this world was a figment of my imagination, nothing but a dream," Eren said quickly. "But when I woke after… the other day from this ‘dream' I was covered in marks, and I still had Levi's scent" Eren added awkwardly

"Oh?" Petra looked puzzled for a few seconds. "OH!" her confusion quickly turned to embarrassment as she caught on. 

"Eren, I've known you since you were 16 when we picked you up off the streets, Maybe you thought that none of this is real, but I remember so many things you can't right now" Hange cut in, approaching from behind Eren, making the omega jump. 

"The curse must have messed with his memories, that's the only--" Petra started, turning back to her notes frantically. 

"No, it wasn't the curse. I was mated by an alpha, and I've only just learned that he's been brainwashing me." 

"The person who marked you?" Petra gasped. "Who is it?" 

"His name is Eli, but what does that--" 

"Who the fuck is Eli?" Hange asked bluntly. "No, that doesn't make sense, Annie was the one who cursed you," they said, shaking their head. 

"Maybe someone working with her?" 

"God, what is she even after? This is so infuriating" Hange groaned. 

"Eren, I know you're probably anxious about this, but go find Levi, we'll look into this for you. For now, don't leave his side," Petra said with a look of genuine concern on her face. 

"Don't tell him just yet, wait for us. We'll talk to him with you," Hange said, smiling at Eren and ruffling his hair. "Don't worry, kiddo, everything's gonna be fine." they said. Eren just nodded, took a deep breath, and left the couple to their own devices. 

"We are so fucked" Hange whined the moment Eren was out of earshot. 

"We need to focus, Hange, Eren could be in serious danger" Petra reasoned. 

"Right, right, we'll figure this out. We always do" Hange hummed, clasping Petra's hand in their own. 

Levi sat in the throne room, leaning against his arm, disinterestedly as he carried through his daily routine. His job, while an important one, was quite dull on an average day, mostly settling petty disputes, hearing the grievances of his people, and keeping himself up to date on life outside the palace walls or even outside of his own kingdom. Very important, yes, exciting, not really. Levi would have never complained. However, he took his job seriously, but when his thoughts were stuck on other stressful matters, it made it hard to focus. 

While one of his guards was droning on about the various accounts of thievery from a petty criminal, a shop keeper and a feisty young boy bickered off to the side. The king pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a frustrated sigh, this child had been caught on multiple occasions stealing from the shop keepers, and his patience was running thin. He was about to speak to diffuse the situation, something caught his attention in the corner of his eye. 

Levi glanced to the side to see Eren entering the room with a frazzled expression. Instead of interrupting, he let the guard continue as his omega approached the throne, standing beside him quietly, no doubt waiting for his opportunity to speak to the alpha. A smug grin crossed Levi's face as he looped an arm around the omega's thin waist and pulled him swiftly into his lap. Maybe he was busy, but if his omega was conflicted about something he'd be damned if he was going to just let him sit there miserably. 

Eren's cheeks flushed as he settled against Levi's chest, though he was happy to see that none of the onlookers in the room had even paid him a second glance, making the situation far less embarrassing. He was left to curl up comfortably in the king's lap, his face tucked into Levi's shoulder as the meeting carried on. Eren hadn't been actively listening, but when he heard Levi speak, his attention had been caught. 

"I'm sick of this dispute, every other week this kid is brought to me for his theft" Levi stated, his agitation apparent. 

"Sir, would you have us imprison him?" the guard asked with a blank expression. The kid's face paled at the mention. 

"No," Levi looked to the kid. "You're 15 now, yes?" he asked. 

The kid nodded hesitantly. 

"You'll start training with the guards, you're old enough to join the rest of the new recruits. Consider this an opportunity to get off of the streets," Levi said after a moment of thought. 

"Your majesty, with all due respect, this child is so small, and a thief no less!" The guard protested

"I understand your concerns, but there is no better way to keep an eye on this kid than to have him among the other guards, and he's quick enough to slip away from you, I'm sure he'll do well in training" Levi retorted calmly. 

The guard and child both looked at Levi in disbelief, the child seemed shocked that he wasn't being given a formal punishment. 

"Shall I escort him to the barracks?" The guard asked 

"Leave him with Mikasa, and let her in on the situation, she'll be able to handle him just fine." 

"Yes, sir" With that, the child was led away. Eren glanced to Levi curiously, seeing that an amused smile was on his face. 

"This isn't too different to the way my parents found you" Levi whispered into Eren's ear, sure that his partner had forgotten by the expression on his face. 

Eren nodded silently, and Levi's arms encircled him tightly as he heard the next case, feeling far more content with his work with his omega held in his arms. 

Eren closed his eyes and let himself space out after that, not bothering to focus as Levi continued to work. Things continued on this way for what felt like hours until Eren's attention was recaptured by persistent kisses against his neck. 

"Levi!" Eren gasped, his eyes shooting open as his face flushed again. 

"Wow, you little brat, you really weren't paying attention" Levi teased, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "Everyone's gone," he continued.

"We're still out in the open" Eren defended. 

"You looked so sad earlier, I couldn't help myself. Now, will you tell me what's wrong?" Levi cooed, stringing fingers through Eren's hair. 

Eren smiled, reveling in the sweet affections. "I just missed you," He murmured, which was true, to be fair. 

Levi laughed "I'm sorry, I've been so busy, I didn't mean to neglect you. You have my attention now," he purred, nuzzling his face against Eren's neck. 

"You've been great, really." 

"I just want to make sure you're happy, after all you've already gone through" Levi started, thinking about everything from the curse to Eren's unfortunate past. "I just want you to be safe." 

Eren thought for a moment, going quiet. As much as he wanted to just enjoy their time together, he had other concerns in mind. 

"Levi, does the name Armin mean anything to you?" He asked

"Armin? Isn't that the name of one of your friends from Shinganshina?" Levi raised an eyebrow. 

"I can't remember him all that well, do you know where he is?" Eren asked 

"He's betrothed to a close friend of mine, I haven't heard from him in a while now that I think about it," Levi stated. He had been so distracted with his work and stressing over Eren lately. Levi hadn't had time to talk to his friend in a while.

"I want to visit him soon," Eren said, immediately perking up. 

"Anything for you, love," Levi smiled. 

"As cute as you two are, I need to borrow you both for a moment," a voice called out. 

The two looked over to see Hange stride into the room with an eager grin plastered on their face. 

"What is it, shitty glasses?" Levi huffed. 

"We have a sudden change of plans," Hange said quickly "We need to get rid of Eren's mate mark, right now" 

"Weren't we going to wait until we discovered who marked him?" Levi inquired. 

"I'll explain later, but right now Petra needs to get rid of that mark," Hange said, then glanced to Eren "Is that alright?" 

"Yes, the sooner this thing is gone, the better" Eren answered quickly, he was sure to get an earful from Armin about his reckless behavior later, but he would do whatever it took to keep himself grounded and help him decipher reality from the lies. 

"Alright, well follow me" Hange called out, waving for the couple to follow as they led the way back to the bedroom Eren had first woken from his coma in. 

Petra sat in a chair beside the bed with Marco standing beside her, both seeming just the least bit concerned. 

"Petra, I trust that this procedure will be painless?" Levi narrowed his eyes. 

"I'm sorry, but this is urgent, and I'm not sure if there is even an entirely painless way to remove a mate mark" Petra admitted sheepishly. 

Levi opened his mouth to respond, only to be stopped by Eren. 

"She's right. The sooner this mark is gone, the sooner I can wear yours. It's fine, I know I can handle it" Eren said, lacing his fingers with Levi's 

"I want you to wear my mark, but only if you're ready," Levi replied after a moment. 

"I know I am." 

"Alright, kiddo, lay down and we'll get started," Hange instructed. 

Eren lied down on the bed, and Petra leaned over him.

"Just relax, it'll all be over soon," She said and smeared a cream over Eren's mate mark. "This will break the bond."

At first, Eren hadn't noticed anything, but a mild burning sensation followed, definitely nothing that he would define as being all that painful. The pain was on par with being outside for hours in the sun, contained only to the marked area. He began wondering why Levi seemed so worried, but it didn't take him long to realize he had been worried about the wrong kind of pain. 

Once the mark had entirely faded, Eren felt excruciating despair beyond anything he had ever felt. It was as though a massive portion of him had died. Although he didn't love Eli, the alpha's mark had a strong influence over his inner omega and his entire being. Breaking the bond entirely had his omega howling in pain. 

Eren was vaguely aware of the whimpering mess he was dissolving into. He was caught in a trance of pain as he gradually slipped away from the world. His vision went first, trapping him in a living nightmare. Levi's voice sounded as though it were fading as he attempted to reach Eren through comforting whispers. Eren gripped onto the alpha tight, desperately clinging to the faint hold he had on his sense of touch and smell. Suddenly the scent of his alpha became far more potent, grounding Eren in something that felt safe. He violently flinched as he felt pressure around his waist before realizing Levi was embracing him. Eren was living through a nightmare, and the alpha's presence was the only grip on reality he had. He couldn't see anything but the feelings of terror struck the same cords he felt after waking up from a terrible dream that he couldn't remember. 

Eren was convinced he would be fine as long as he knew Levi was nearby; however, that lingering feeling of touch didn't last. And as it started slipping away, so did Eren. He was losing himself to the hysterical fear of losing his alpha as he lost Eli, not being able to rationalize with himself that he had  _ chosen  _ to lose Eli. 

It was at that point that he blacked out, still conscious but unable to remember a single thing from that point on until he came to. 

Everything came back suddenly. Eren could see, hear, and feel Levi again, and he became aware of the dried tears staining his cheeks. 

"Eren?" Levi croaked out, pressing his face against Eren's hair. It was apparent that the process had taken a toll on Levi, and to no surprise, his scent was tainted with fear and pain. 

The brunette wrapped his arms tightly around his alpha and felt him exhale in relief. 

"Hot damn, nice of you to finally rejoin the world of the living" Hange deadpanned. Eren glanced to the beta to see them disheveled, and their glasses cracked. He blinked in confusion. 

"Ah, my prince, you're alright!" Marco chuckled nervously. "You had gotten a bit difficult to handle for a while there," he says, Eren jumped, not even having realized the alpha was in the room. 

"What do you mean?" Eren asked after a moment, feeling somewhat numb. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, just rather as though he wasn't sure how to handle himself. 

"You may have kinda attacked me while I tried to get you to settle down," Hange sighed. 

"And then you tore up the bed" Petra added. 

"And when the king tried to restrain you, you did quite a bit of damage to him, too" Marco chimed in. 

"When Marco tried to help Levi, he attacked him. I didn't realize breaking your bond would elicit such a strong primal reaction from him," Hange said, unsuccessfully stifling their laughter. 

"Oh my god!" Eren gasped. 

"I think it's going to leave a scar" Marco pouted. 

"You _ bit  _ him?" Eren asked in shock. 

"Well, what was I supposed to do? My arms were occupied with trying to keep you from hurting yourself," Levi defended quickly. 

"I don't know, maybe not attack Marco at all?" Petra scolded, crossing her arms. 

"I said I was sorry!" 

"It's ok, really, it doesn't hurt all that badly" Marco laughed nervously. 

"Bullshit, I drew blood, and you know it," Levi muttered. 

"Are you really sorry, or do you just want to brag?" Petra yells, grabbing Levi by his ear. 

There was a moment of silence before Hange busted out with loud, obnoxious laughter. 

"I'm sorry I caused so much trouble," Eren said with a sympathetic smile. 

"Marco, I'll look at that bite," Petra sighed. 

"What about me? Eren got my back really well" Levi scowled. 

"Levi, I think you might have deserved it. You bit Marco. Marco cries!" Eren frowned. 

"I do not!" Marco cut in quickly. 

"Come on, we should clean this before it gets infected," Petra said, ushering Marco out of the room. 

"I should get you back to our room," Levi muttered. Eren smiled and wrapped his arms around Levi's neck as he was gathered into his alpha's arms and carried back to there bedroom. Levi drew a bath, feeling the need to take care of Eren after going through such a vulnerable moment. 

Eren found himself resting back against Levi in the tub as his alpha pampered him. 

"How long had I been like that?" Eren asked absentmindedly. 

"It had been about three hours" Levi hummed as he washed Eren's hair for him. 

"That long?" 

"How long did it feel to you?" 

"It was like I had lost all concept of time. It felt it dragged on forever but lasted only a few minutes at the same time, I don't know" Eren shrugged. 

Levi nodded in understanding and continued cleaning his mate, pressing a kiss against the spot his mate mark used to occupy. 

It hadn't really sunk in that Eren was free of Eli's mark until he stood in front of a mirror and saw his neck bare. The sight brought a smile to the omega's lips, which he promptly pressed against Levi's

~~Two Worlds~~

"Are you  _ insane _ !?" Armin shrilled. He sat with Eren in the garden, once again. As soon as Armin had noticed the missing mark from Eren's neck, he had dragged him out. 

"I want to wear Levi's mark, not Eli's, so we had the bond broken" Eren shrugged as though it were no big deal.

"At the very least you should have replaced it! I doubt you would get caught if he put it in the same spot. Since you haven't marked Eli, he wouldn't have known the difference" Amin glared. 

"I wanted to be sure it truly had worked, first," Eren said with a smile, he just assured himself further that Levi really did exist this way. 

"You're so reckless, you need to go back  _ today  _ and fix this!" Armin insisted. 

"I plan to, I didn't want to be apart from Levi to begin with, and when I go back, I'll learn more about that world again," Eren said with a cheeky smile. 

"You're hopeless" Armin sighed, frustrated by Eren's inability to see the gravity of his situation. 

"Enough about that, I want to know what Erwin is like," Eren said with a cheeky grin. 

"What? When did I tell you about-" 

"You didn't, Levi knows him." 

Armin gave Eren a disapproving glare. 

"Come on, I'm sure you want to talk about it, and it's not like Vincent is gonna listen." Eren teased.

Armin rolled his eyes "Alright, alright. I'll tell you about him" 

Eren perked up with an eager grin. 

"Erwin is… well, he's a total sweetheart. He's gentle, and he cares about me. He's not the best at expressing himself, but I find it kind of cute." Armin said, his irritation disappearing. 

"So he treats you well?" 

"Of course! It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that he genuinely loves me after… You know, everything I went through with Vincent, but I feel a connection to him stronger than anything I've ever felt for that control freak" Armin giggled. 

Eren found himself smiling in response, it was comforting to know that Armin had a chance to be with someone who would treat him properly as a partner rather than a property. It was a peaceful moment, both Armin and Eren sitting side by side thinking about their blooming love lives. Well, it was peaceful until Armin glanced back to Eren. 

"Don't think I've forgotten your idiocy, we need to make it look like you have a mark" Armin muttered with a glare. 

"How are we supposed to do that," Eren asked. He was just as much challenging Armin as he was inquiring out of curiosity. 

Armin gave the brunette a sly grin before leaning forward and biting the right side of Eren's neck. 

"Ow! Was that really necessary?" Eren pouted, Armin had bitten him hard enough to leave an indent

"Yes, think of it as both a solution and punishment for your impulsive behavior," Armin beamed. 

"It'll fade by tomorrow." 

"It's mostly a punishment." 

Eren sighed, at least he knew Armin had his back. 

~~Two Worlds~~

With Eli's return approaching and the threat of being unable to contact Armin looming over his head, Eren was anxious to find the key to breaking the curses afflicting them both. He had come to terms with the fact that his reality for the past several months had been nothing more than a lie and he knew little of Eli's motives, but he couldn't just sit back and let things play out on their own. 

The first thing Eren needed to take care of was replacing his mark, he knew it was the best insurance that even if Eli were to wipe his memories again, he wouldn't be able to completely erase Levi's presence. 

Eren was determined not to forget his mate again.

He lay in his king's bed, entwined with him once again. Eren's head rested against the alpha's chest and fingers combed through his hair gingerly. Levi, along with the dread of Eli's return, rarely left Eren's mind. 

"You're so impatient, you know that?" 

"I told you, this is the only way I can guarantee I won't forget you" Eren pouted. 

"You won't explain why, though" Levi frowned in response. 

"I will, I promise, but Petra and Hange wanted to find a more solid explanation first" Eren mumbled. 

Levi sighed in frustration. It wasn’t sitting well with him that Hange and Petra both knew everything that was going on but were withholding the information from him.

"Look who's being impatient, now" Eren teased. 

"Tch, brat." 

Eren snickered to himself. He was rolled onto his back, Levi leaning over him with a mischievous smirk. 

"Fine, but if I'm going to mark you, I'm going to do it right," he murmured. "I want your attention on me, I'll be the only thing on your mind" the alpha demanded firmly, and just the implication sent a shiver down Eren's spine. 

"Always" 

A low, possessive growl rumbled as Levi nipped at the soft flesh of Eren's neck. Playful bites were trailed down from Eren's collarbone, down to the omega's chest. Levi teased one pert nipple with his teeth and flicked the other, making his omega whine sweetly. Eren was quiet, almost inaudible, but his alpha would have him screaming in pleasure soon enough. As Levi sunk between Eren's thighs, he discarded the omega's pants and chuckled when he saw that he was already becoming aroused. The raven's fingers wrapped around Eren's length and stroked him, reveling in each soft whimper the touches elicited. 

"You're such a tease" Eren huffed in frustration, though his flushed cheeks and intoxicatingly aroused appearance dulled the bite, only making Levi laugh. 

"But you look so cute when you squirm" Levi purred, squeezing his fingers around Eren and earning a deliciously lewd moan from the omega. Levi closed his lips around Eren's tip, sucking at the sensitive head and running his tongue over the slit. Each little touch was rewarded with soft noises from the brunette. Levi sucked the entire length of Eren's cock into his mouth one inch at a time, loving just how easily he could make his lover unravel beneath him. Eren was flushed all the way from the tips of his ears to his neck, his thighs were already slicking, and his hips squirmed in response to Levi's painfully slow pace. 

Eren arched into the alpha's touch only to have one firm hand press his hips down against the bed. Levi seemed amused by Eren's antics and strived to push Eren just a little bit further. Two fingers rubbed against Eren's eager hole, shallowly pressing against the ring of muscle just enough to drive him crazy. Levi pulled his mouth off of Eren with a pop, a grin plastered on his face. 

"You're so damn wet for me, and I've only just started touching you" Levi observed, watching Eren's attempts to rock back into his hand. "You're so sensitive." 

"I can't help it, I want you inside of me," Eren said sweetly, hoping it might convince Levi to hurry up. The mischievous look on the alpha's face as he glanced at the brunette from between his thighs told him that he hadn't succeeded. 

No, Levi wanted to see Eren fall apart  _ completely  _ beneath him first. 

Eren felt his hips being lifted suddenly, held in place by his alpha's hands against his thighs, pushing him to rest on his upper back. 

"Levi?" 

"You want me inside of you, hmm? I think I can make that happen" Levi cooed. 

Eren was about to question the raven until he felt a warm wet feeling against his slick hole. 

"Levi!" Eren gasped in shock, a feeling of complete mortification. Even worse, the stimulation only excited him further without easing the aching need to be filled. He was stuck between pleasure and pain in the most wonderfully terrible way possible. 

Levi's tongue prodded against Eren's entrance as he enjoyed the sweet taste of his omega. He pushed his tongue in shallowly, the minuscule stretch being enough to make Eren squirm and whine as he was slowly worked open. 

Eren gripped the sheets beneath himself, tears were welling up in the corners of his eyes. He was unaware of just how loudly he was moaning for his alpha. 

"You look absolutely beautiful like this" Levi murmured, using one hand to support Eren's hips while his other hand replaced his tongue. "Are you enjoying yourself, little omega?" 

"I thought you were the little one" Eren panted out, giving his best attempt at a cheeky grin in his flustered state. 

"I'll make you eat those words. Do you want to see just how ‘little' I am?" Levi shot Eren a glare. He let Eren's hips drop down far enough to rut his clothed erection against the omega's hole. 

"Levi, please!" Eren mewled, rutting back against the alpha. 

"You're such a damn brat" Levi huffed and threw one of Eren's legs over his shoulder, positioning Eren onto his side as he tugged his own pants down his thighs. He pressed the tip of his cock into Eren slowly, watching himself sink into the omega's tight heat. 

"Does it still seem like I'm  _ little  _ to you?" Levi sneered 

Eren shook his head, his tears of pleasure spilling over onto his cheeks. A sudden thrust forced the breath from his lungs with a surprised moan. 

"No! No, big. Really big, it feels so good" Eren gasped out, giving Levi a needy look that begged for him to move. 

Levi smirked in satisfaction at Eren's answer as he plunged into his lover, their position enabling him to push into the brunette deeply. With a properly angled thrust, he was able to hit the omega's prostate head-on. 

"Oh god, Levi" Eren buried his face against his pillow, clawing at the sheets beneath him as he shamelessly screamed for his alpha. He didn't care who might hear, not in the heat of the moment anyway. 

"You're taking me so well" Levi grinned, Eren squeezed around him so perfectly yet despite how tight he was his hole was so eager to be filled. "No one else can make you feel like this, only me. You're mine" He released Eren's thigh in favor of bending over him, running his fingers over the brunette's bare neck. 

Eren tilted his head to better expose his neck. "I'm all yours." 

Levi sunk his teeth into his lover's neck without hesitation, it was enough to push Eren over the edge and have him paint the sheets with his release. Levi could feel his knot swelling and prodding against Eren, it was clear he wouldn't last much longer. His thrusts became more sloppy, and soon enough, he had pushed his knot into Eren and filled him to the brim. 

The alpha plopped down on top of his mate and rolled them over, pulling Eren against his chest. 

"You've always been mine, but I still like the reminder," Levi said, feeling satiated as he kissed the newly created mark.

"I'm yours, and that will never change," Eren said as he lazily closed his eyes and melted into Levi's embrace. 

Eren had learned from his past mistakes, and once Levi's knot had gone down, and he was able to slip away, he made sure to thoroughly clean himself, scrubbing himself until he was sure there were no lingering remains of the alpha's scent.

~~Two Worlds~~

_ "Eren, are you alright?"  _

_ "I'm fine, don't worry about it."  _

_ "You got into another fight," A boy sighed, pulling Eren to his feet.  _

_ "What does it matter?"  _

_ The boy glanced away. That pained expression on his face looked so familiar in a way Eren couldn't place.  _

_ You're hurt, we should get you cleaned up" He responded after a moment of silence.  _

_ Eren was pulled along by his friend to the rickety old shed he had once called home in Shinganshina. For two kids with virtually nothing, it could have been worse. They both dreamed of one day escaping the hell of poverty together, this was back when they both truly believed they would have a chance to.  _

_ "What happened this time?" The boy asked with a soft tone as he started wiping the dirt and mud off of Eren.  _

_ "Some bastard had the nerve to call me a ‘slutty baby maker' and kept trying to touch me" Eren muttered. His friend's eyes widen, Eren hadn't explicitly stated that an alpha had assaulted him, but he pieced it together quickly.  _

_ "Geez, Eren! We're lucky you got off with only a few injuries!" The boy said in shock. In truth, they were lucky Eren had gotten out of it period. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you" He muttered, holding Eren's chin and cleaning his busted lip only to have his hand slapped away.  _

_ "I know you just want to help, but I'm not some useless wimp that needs to be protected just because I'm an omega" He hissed bitterly.  _

_ Eren had been like this ever since they presented, recklessly trying to act as though nothing had changed despite the looming threats that came with being an omega in such a rundown district.  _

_ "I'm sorry, I hadn't meant anything by it, you know that. But if I lose you…"  _

_ "I know. I know" Eren groaned, looking away. It was hard for him to admit that he was simply angry because he viewed himself as weak. "I'll be more careful, I'm sorry."  _

_ "You know, there's no shame in asking for help sometimes."  _

_ "I know" Eren latched his arms around his friend tightly, fitting against his larger form comfortably.  _

Eren woke from his dream with a gasp. He had finally regained a part of his memories on his own. He had felt so determined that it brought out power in him hadn't even realized he had possessed. Eren wasn't sure just how he had brought about his sudden burst of memories on his own, but he could only hope he could use it to his advantage. 

He wasn't sure what the trigger had been. Eren wanted to question Armin about whether or not he had ever been able to recover anything on his own, but instead, he rooted through his book. When he found nothing relevant, he made a mental note to ask Petra later. 

"Feeling well-rested?" A familiar voice called out

"Eli?" Eren's eyes widened, he was supposed to have more time!

"I finished my work early, so I was able to come home sooner than I expected," The alpha said with a gentle smile. 

Eren just nodded and sat up on the bed. "And Armin?"

"He already left. I thought it would be best to let you keep sleeping" Eli laughed nervously. 

Eren held back the urge to complain. Instead, he slipped out of bed and headed out of the room.

"Eren?" Eli followed behind the omega quickly. 

"How was your trip?" Eren asked, more out of necessity than curiosity. It wouldn't do him any good to start a fight, especially not when he needed to keep Eli in the dark until he found a way to break the curse.

"It was dull, I missed you" Eli hummed thoughtfully, stopping Eren by wrapping his arms around the brunette's waist "What did you do while I was gone?" 

"I talked with Armin a lot, I enjoyed spending time with him." 

"Really? I'm glad to hear you two got along so well" Eli chuckled, nuzzling his face into Eren's hair. "Are you hungry? It's been a while since we've eaten together." 

Eren shook his head, his appetite was nonexistent, and he was feeling sluggish, even though he really didn't want to spend time with Eli. 

"Well, then why don't you just sit with me?" The alpha laced his fingers with Eren's as he spoke. Eren nodded in response. For the sake of keeping up the facade, it was better to not put up a fuss. He had already found that Eli wasn’t the person he had thought of him to be, so he didn’t want to push him and find out what else the alpha was capable of.

"Did something happen while you were gone?" Eren muttered out quietly as he was lead to the couch. Eli sat down and pulled Eren into his lap, wrapping himself around the omega comfortably. Eren was feeling so lethargic, and he couldn't think of why. He had gotten enough sleep, after all.

"Hmm? I wanted to ask you the same thing, actually." 

"I asked you first" Eren whined childishly, making Eli laugh much to his irritation. 

"Eren are you feeling alright? you feel a bit warm" Eli asked 

"Why are you changing the subject?" Eren frowned. 

"The trip was rather unpleasant and stressful, Eren. I'd rather not think about it right now, please?" Eli sighed. "Besides, you really are burning up, are you coming down with a cold?" 

"I don't feel sick, just tired."

"Hold on, I'll get you some water." 

"No" 

"What?" Eli looked down at Eren with a puzzled expression. 

"Stay" Eren mumbled, tucking his nose against Eli's chest and inhaling the scent that had always seemed so wrong to him but now gave him a flood of nostalgia that was comforting. 

Eli didn't say anything, he was too shocked by Eren's sudden affections to really know how to respond, and had Eren's consciousness not been slipping away he probably would have been just as confused about what he had done. 

~~Two Worlds~~

Petra sighed in exhaustion, she had been pouring through every book she had concerning curses along with every last detail Eren had given her, and still, she was mostly in the dark. She had barely slept over the past three days, and the little information she had been able to piece together was nearly useless, and most certainly wasn't getting her any closer to finding a cure. 

The omega laid her head against her desk with little concern for the books cluttering her workspace. Things weren't looking good. 

"Hey, cutie. What's with the sad face?" Hange called out, striding up to their girlfriend. "It's late, shouldn't you be sleeping?" 

"I could say the same for you." 

"Well, I have good news." The beta shrugged "it's related to our little research project." 

"Really? Did you find anything?" Petra shot up, immediately perking up at the mention.

"I'm not sure if I should tell you," Hange said with a mischievous grin. 

"What?" 

"I'll make a deal with you." 

"Go on?" Petra raised an eyebrow. 

"I'll tell you, but after I do it's off to bed with our little healer," hange said, and despite their playful tone, it was clear it wasn't up for discussion. 

"Alright, alright, fine. What did you find?" 

"Ymir" hange grinned wildly. 

Petra's face betrayed her confusion, and Hange simply laughed in response. 

"Krista may be gone, Ymir still has all of her records on the work she did. Even better, Krista was well acquainted with Annie's work, so odds are she might have the answers we need" Hange explained.

"I doubt she'll want to help us, she's been gone for so long." 

"So it's the perfect excuse for us to drag her back here!" Hange said excitedly, "I already sent Marco to find her, now it's time to hold up your end of the deal." 

Petra sighed in defeat and nodded, Hange gathered her up into their arms and carried the little strawberry blonde to their room. 

"It'll all work out, I'm sure of it. But you need to be careful. You're pushing yourself way too hard" Hange hummed. 

Petra nodded and laid her head against Hange's shoulder. She knew her partner was right, but she couldn't help but worry about Eren knowing that he was at the mercy of someone else's control. 

She still hadn't even told Levi what was going on, she wanted Eren to be there as well, but he always seemed so anxious when the topic came up. Petra understood why, but she also knew that Levi wouldn't blame any of this on Eren. 

"Everything's such a mess right now," Petra muttered.

"I know." 

Hange sat down on the edge of their bed and pulled Petra into their lap. 

"But try not to worry about it too much, we'll wait for Marco to return with Ymir and figure this all out" Hange nuzzled their face into Petra's neck making her giggle. Petra turned and pressed a soft kiss against Hange's lips before falling back against the bed, pulling the beta with her. She curled up around Hange comfortably, not bothering to even take her clothes off. 

Hange shook their head with a sigh and peeled the clothing off of their girlfriend. They then slipped out of their own clothes to settle beside Petra. They both needed to catch up on sleep, and since they needed to wait for Marco, they had the perfect opportunity. 

The drowsy couple had only been sleeping for a few hours when an impatient knock tapped at the door. From the sounds of the incessant knocking, their visitor had been waiting a while by the time Hange awoke. Turning to see Petra still asleep, they quickly pulled themself from the bed and threw on a long shirt. Hange grabbed their glasses and pulled the door open with a yawn before stepping outside, quietly closing the door behind themself. 

"What? What do you need?" They drawled lazily. 

"I'm sorry, I know it's really early, but something happened to Eren" Hange could tell even without their glasses that it was Jean speaking to them, their face immediately lit up. 

"Oh hey, stallion," Hange said as they put on their glasses. 

Jean shot Hange a glare and opened his mouth to respond, but Hange had already turned on their heels and was headed to take a look at Eren. 

"So what happened to sleeping beauty?" 

"The cursed areas of Eren's skin are growing. The king noticed it and sent me to find you," Jean explained. 

"Oh boy, something tells me our little Levi isn't going to be in the best of moods, then" Henge laughed. 

"Cut it out, this is serious" Jean huffed. 

"I know that, but getting your panties in a twist doesn't solve anything" Hange teased. 

"Hange!" Levi called out the moment he saw Jean and Hange, "Where the hell's Petra?" 

"Well, hello, you're royal crankiness. The poor thing was exhausted, so I'm letting her sleep but fear not, I'm sure I can diagnose the situation just fine" Hange declared. They walked into the bedroom and looked down at Eren. 

"Oh! Oh no, that's not good," Hange said. First glance at Eren showed that his face and neck were now covered in the dark markings of the curse. 

"What is it?" Levi demanded. 

"It's just as it looks, the curse is getting stronger. Petra said that we need to keep it from spreading, but it's already grown so much" Hange said, it was fascinating to see, but they would need Petra to hinder the curse from worsening. 

It seemed like they wouldn't have as much time as they had thought. Hange didn't want to voice their concern, but Eren might not wake up again as he was now. 

~~Two Worlds~~

_ "Eren, are you alright?"  _

_ "I'll be fine, really."  _

_ "Shouldn't I help you?"  _

_ "I'm sure, we'll regret it later," Eren muttered, closing his eyes. His heat was setting in, and he wouldn't be able to stick to his rational decision for much longer, he was sure.  _

_ "I wouldn't regret it" those words came as no shock to Eren, specifically the emotions behind them. As much as he wanted to spend his heat with the alpha he had promised himself to, it was irresponsible when they were so young, and Eren was far more fertile.  _

_ "Bertholdt, it's too reckless, I'm not on any sort of birth control" Eren reasoned, the irony of him telling Bertholdt that he was being too reckless was not lost on him.  _

_ "You're right, I'm sorry" Bertholdt shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Call for me if you need anything else," He said, standing from the edge of the bed and leaving Eren.  _

_ Bertholdt left, but Eren was left painfully aware of a fact that he couldn't ignore.  _

_ Eren had promised himself to his best friend but yet somehow ended up mated to Levi. He remembered the day he had left Bertholdt. He had been 16, and the then king, Levi's father, had stolen him away from his life of poverty to be beside his son. Eren had left all of his struggles behind, but in doing so, he had also left Bertholdt.  _

_ Eren hadn't seen him since that day. Had he known it would be goodbye maybe he wouldn't have left, perhaps he would have stayed. He wouldn't have fought Bertholdt so often, he would have told him how much he cared about him. What he had with Bertholdt didn't hold the same passionate love he had for Levi, but rather a softer bond that had been built between their trust and support for each other.  _

_ If Eren hadn't left, then he would have never lost Bertholdt. _

_ He wished so badly to remember why he chose to leave and why he was unable to see Bertholdt again but all too soon Eren found himself being pulled back away from his precious memories, away from his beloved friend who his heart ached for once the realization hit that he had forgotten someone so important to him.  _

Eren's eyes shot open, and he let out a sharp cry at the ache in his lower half, becoming startlingly aware of something. His heat had started. Leaning over him, he saw a sight that had comforted him far more than he ever would have imagined. 

"Eren, are you alright?" 

"Bertholdt" Eren mumbled out. He became aware of the fact that tears streamed down his face. 

Eli's face contorted into that of concern "What was that?" 

"Oh, nothing, sorry" Eren wiped his eyes quickly, ignoring the growing pains from having ignored his heat for so long. 

"Why are you crying?"

"Just a dream," Eren muttered. 

Eli was silent for a moment before sighing. "Eren, you need to be more careful, you passed out, and I'm willing to bet it's because you haven't eaten anything and your heat just started" he scolded. 

Eren nodded, the alpha had a point there, but his mind was too far away from being able to care. 

Eli dug through a drawer in the bedside table on his end of the bed and procured a capsule. "Take this, it's a fever reducer," He said, handing Eren the pill with a glass of water. The omega took it without a second thought and finished the glass alongside it. 

"And I brought you something to eat" Eli gestured to a sandwich on top of the table. He handed it to Eren, though the omega was only able to stomach a couple of bites. 

"I'll be fine on my own, you can go" Eren muttered, turning onto his side away from Eli. He couldn't look at him, he couldn't look into the eyes that matched his missing companions. It caused an ache in his chest that didn't mix well with the already sensitive state of his mind and body.

"No, I'm staying with you this time," Eli said firmly, laying beside Eren and wrapping his arms around his waist. "I don't want to leave you while you're like this" 

Eren's nose burned with the scent of his close friend, it comforted him, despite knowing that Levi was the one who was supposed to be beside him for his heat. All Eren wanted was to fall into that embrace, but it was tainted by knowing that this sensation couldn't be more than an illusion. 

It couldn't be.

This was most likely a trick caused by Annie’s curse. No doubt she had made it appear as though his close friend was with him again in an attempt to subdue him.

But that scent reminded him of the trust he had in Bertholdt, and with his rational thoughts slipping away from him, Eren didn't have the strength to try to see through the illusion. He didn’t want to push Eli away as things were now.

Eren knew that Eli's decision wasn't up for debate, and he felt a relief he knew he shouldn’t of. Despite this, he was still determined to keep his loyalty to Levi.

"Alright, but I can handle this myself" Eren muttered, and to his surprise, Eli didn't argue. He just buried his face into Eren's neck.

Eren tugged his clothes off, relieving the restricted feeling they had given him as he palmed his erection with a wanton whine. Slick was already lining his thighs, and he was able to slip two fingers inside of himself with ease. He shut his eyes, trying to forget about Eli pressing against him. Feeling the alpha’s cock hardening against him made it difficult to fight temptation and had Eren not been used to his heats, he probably wouldn’t have been able to at all. His confusing memories weren’t making things any easier, but Eren was still showing an exceptional amount of self control and he vaguely acknowledged that Eli was as well, given his nose was  _ directly tucked into Eren’s scent gland. _ Had Eren’s thoughts been less clouded he would have probably scolded Eli for that.

Eren's fingers weren't enough to satisfy the desire to be filled, but it was better than nothing. He stroked himself and pushed his fingers as deep as they would go, picturing his mate touching him rather than himself. If he hadn't been in heat, he probably would have been embarrassed about how fast he finished, just from picturing his alpha. With the first orgasm out of his system, he felt an inkling of relief for about 10 seconds before his body raged unhappily at the lack of a knot filling him. 

In the back of his mind, Eren was grateful that Eli still hadn’t tried touching him, he wondered why the alpha had even insisted on staying but he wasn't in the right state of mind to try thinking about the suspicious behavior. His train of thought was soon deterred back into the gutters as he brought himself to completion repeatedly, finding little relief from the cycle.

Eren had actually forgotten the alpha beside him by that point, his mate mark made it so Eli’s pheromones had no effect on him, meaning that he was only drawn to him the same way he might be drawn to a beta during his heat. the omega’s body felt heavy with exhaustion, and he was finding it hard to move. Usually, he wouldn't have gotten worn out so quickly, but he figured he could let himself succumb to sleep once more. Sleep was a far better option than trekking through the emotional wreckage he felt during his heat.

As Eren was closing his eyes, he felt himself being rolled onto his back by the forgotten alpha beside him. 

"How do you feel?" 

"Tired" Eren murmured, opening his eyes lazily to glance up at Eli.

"Finding it harder to move?" Eli asked with an unreadable expression.

Eren narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Even through the haze of his heat, he was able to put two and two together, and it was adding up to Eli being a lying bastard. 

"I'm sorry, Eren, I didn't want to take you this way, but I promise after your heat is over I'll never touch you without your permission," Eli said, though his expression was anything but apologetic. Eren could see the pure desire in the alpha's eyes and smell it in his scent. That didn't matter all that much at the moment. No, it didn't matter at all. The fact that Eli had  _ planned  _ this was all that mattered. 

"You drugged me!" Eren cried out, feeling another pang of hurt from yet another act of betrayal.

"You're fertile, and it'll be another few months until your heat comes again, but I swear to you after you're pregnant, I'll make good on my promise," Eli said softly. 

Eren let his head flop to the side.

"I can't believe you," he muttered. Though with the knowledge that Eli had brainwashed him, it wasn't all that hard to believe. 

Eren found himself laughing, as fucked up as this was, he could only laugh. No matter how hard Eli tried, Levi's mark would prevent Eren from being able to conceive his child. Things had finally started looking up for him, and suddenly complicated memories resurfaced and his heat started. Now Eli had betrayed him once again. He really couldn’t catch a break.

"Eren?" 

"It's fine, just do it," He said, much to Eli's surprise. His voice held no hostility, no passive aggression that would have been expected.

"Really?" 

Eren just nodded. It wasn't as though he could really say no, but he needed to feel he had some sort of control over the situation for his own sanity. 

Eli grabbed Eren's chin and kissed him softly, so much emotion poured out of the alpha. He displayed his own twisted love while Eren numbly played through the motions.

"I'll go slowly for you" Eli whispered against Eren's lips, pushing two fingers into the brunette to ensure he was adequately stretched. 

Eren nodded, a moan slipping from his lips as Eli touched him. He knew he was giving the alpha the satisfaction of knowing just how needy he was for him, but his cares were slipping away and replaced by lust. He closed his eyes, intent on thinking only of his own alpha, at the very least he knew that it was Levi that he truly wanted to be with for his heat.

Eli's mouth was against Eren's neck, biting and sucking at the soft flesh. The thrusting of the alpha's fingers was becoming more harsh and quick pace, drawing Eren to rock his hips back against Eli's hand. Eren whined, craving far more than a few fingers.

"More…" He gasped out. 

"As you wish" Eli hummed, his hands were suddenly on Eren's hips and he felt himself being rolled onto his stomach with his hips propped up, presenting perfectly for the alpha. Eli wasted no time with tantalizing touches. Once Eren had been appropriately positioned for him, he was pushing himself into the omega's heat slowly. 

"God you're so tight, but you sucked me right in" Eli groaned lowly, pressing his face into Eren's neck as he started a quick pace. Eren didn't acknowledge the alpha, as he let himself drown in his fantasies, he could only think of Levi and how he always knew how to unravel Eren into a puddle of pleasure. He whimpered and bit his lip. Each touch was a cheap imitation of past nights he had been pleasured, Eli knew Eren's body far better than he would have expected but it still fell short of the things Levi was capable of.

It felt so good, laying there and taking the alpha's cock. It eased all of the aching pains Eren got through every heat. It was his first heat with an alpha, and it was far better than suffering through it alone. 

Eren had begun to rock back into every thrust, his mind was so dazed that the lines between his fantasies and reality were becoming blurred and it was pushing him closer to the edge. As far as the omega's clouded mind was concerned, it was his own alpha touching him. Levi's arms held Eren against his toned chest, his teeth were biting into Eren's shoulder and breathing out breathless whispers that had the omega throbbing, and Levi's knot that would relieve his insatiable desire. Eren felt the alpha's knot swelling, and just the anticipation was enough to have him finishing over the sheets. 

"Oh god, Levi~" Eren mewled out, quietly and without a second thought. He only realized his mistake after his head began to clear seconds later, was it possible Eli had missed it? 

No, he had most definitely heard, his face was still buried against Eren's neck, he was too close to miss it. The alpha had stopped moving and straightened up. Eren couldn't bring himself to say anything or look back. He wasn't sure what to expect or what he was supposed to say. 

As Eren had thought, Eli made the first move. His fingers tangled in Eren's hair and yanked him to his knees. 

"I knew it, you were thinking about  _ him.  _ How did you even remember him?" Eli growled out with a thinly veiled anger Eren had never heard from him before. "Did you wake up?" 

"I don't know what you're talking about" Eren gasped out, it wasn't a total lie, he was shocked by the alpha's words, How much was Eli aware of? Eli swiftly pulled himself out of the omega and flipped him onto his back. Eren found himself caged between Eli's arms, not that he could really move very well, to begin with, but he was able to see the enraged expression on Eli's face. 

"Don't place innocent, if you remembered who he is, that means you must have gone to him. Did you let him touch you like this?" 

Eren turned his head, unable to meet the alpha's gaze as he was crushed with guilt. Not for the bastard looming over him now but for the shadow of a man he resembled. The man he felt so deeply for, he couldn't have actually changed this much. 

"I'm sorry" He gasped out, tears stinging his eyes. 

"You've remembered who he is, so who am I?" Eli grabbed Eren's chin and yanked it, making the omega meet his gaze. "Look at me. What is my name?" His tone was calming, but that didn't mean Eren wanted to play this game. 

"Eli" Eren answered, trying to keep his tone steady. 

He didn't want to admit this to himself, he didn't want to face the truth. 

"Try again." 

Eren shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks as he tried to pull free from the alpha's grasp. 

This wasn't the man he had known. 

It couldn't be. 

An impatient growl rumbled, and Eren shut his eyes tight. 

"Bertholdt?" Eren sobbed out pitifully, his voice was just above a whisper. 

"Good boy," Bertholdt smiled and leaned down, kissing Eren's forehead. "I hated that wiping your memories included erasing myself, but I didn't want to risk triggering any memories. It was the best way to keep you here, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore." 

"Bertholdt, why? I haven't seen you in nearly 4 years, and suddenly you do all of this?" Eren asked, but the alpha pulled him in for a heated kiss. 

"God, Eren, I love hearing my name on your lips. This should be a happy moment, there's no need to cry" Bertholdt crooned, wiping tears from the omega's eyes. "I did this for you, for us. That bastard took you from me, and this was the only way for me to get you back." 

"And Armin?" 

"Don't think about that right now. I want you to focus only on me," Bertholdt sighed. "I want you to look at me while I'm inside of you, I should be the only one on your mind," He said, pushing back into Eren with renewed vigor. 

Eren threw his head back and moaned. His body was still sensitive after just having released, but without being knotted, his instincts were still screaming for more. He did as Bertholdt had told him, paying attention to nothing outside of him, not that he could focus on anything else anyway.

Eren couldn't deny any of the emotions that were flooding back to him. Hurt from being betrayed and torn away from his real mate to love for the alpha he had once promised himself to. Fear that Bertholdt was no longer the man he once had been to relief, as he found himself beneath someone he had thought was lost to him no matter how he had changed. Guilt, he knew he was betraying Levi not only physically but in mind as well. He wanted this, he wanted so badly to keep Bertholdt in his arms like this that it hurt.

"I missed you so much, Eren. Even if it complicates things, I'm so glad you remembered me" Bertholdt cooed, stroking Eren's cheek. "You haven't been the same since I brought you here."

"I… missed you, too" Eren admitted with a whimper, wrapping his arms around Bertholdt clumsily, despite the strain. Having remembered the alpha, it left him aching for the friend he hadn't seen since he had met Levi, but this wasn't how he wanted their reunion to go at all. 

"How does it feel, having me inside you like this?" 

Eren buried his face against Bertholdt's neck. 

"When did you become so timid?" Bertholdt chuckled, peeling himself out of Eren's weak hold and gently pushing him back down against the bed, giving him a particularly hard thrust. He drew a breathy moan out of the omega. 

The alpha held Eren's thighs, bending his legs to his chest as he pushed deep into him, brushing against his sweet spot. 

"Bertholdt!" Eren mewled "There, more" He gasped out shamelessly. 

Eren looked at Bertholdt through half-lidded eyes that were glazed with lust, he shakily lifted his hand to caress the back of the alpha's neck, pulling weakly. Bertholdt took the hint and leaned down to kiss Eren, pleasantly surprised to find the omega enthusiastically reciprocating the affection. Eren moaned into the kiss, finding the taste of the alpha intoxicating while Bertholdt felt pride bubbling in him. Eren was  _ his  _ omega, and he'd be sure to prevent Levi from taking him away again. He almost wished he had a way to flaunt that little fact, but just having Eren beneath him like this was enough. 

It didn't take much more for Eren before he was spilling over the already soiled sheets and clamping down around the cock filling him. Bertholdt finished inside of Eren soon after and knotted him, leaving Eren clear-headed enough to realize what he had just done and who he had done it with. 

Eren fell into a fit of sobs as his flood of emotions came crashing down on him again. He was gathered into the alpha's arms, and he vaguely comprehended the fact that Bertholdt was trying to calm him, he rubbed the omega's back soothingly. Eren latched onto Bertholdt as tightly as he could in his drained state between the exertion and the drug. Despite all that happened, the cause of his distraught was also his comfort.

Eren hadn't even realized Bertholdt had carried him to the shower until he felt the warm water hitting his back. He lay limply against the alpha, though Bertholdt didn't seem to mind cleaning Eren up himself. 

"You were gone for 4 years." Eren's voice was quiet as his exhaustion was pooling over him. 

"I'm sorry it had to be that way. But I'm here now."

"I never even got to talk to you after I left, I just left without telling you how much I appreciated you. I-" 

"Eren, I love you," Bertholdt stated firmly. 

"I love you too, that's why this is so confusing. It hurts" Tears spilled down Eren's cheeks against his will. 

"It's ok, it won't be confusing for much longer, I promise" Bertholdt kissed Eren's forehead and turned the shower off. By then, his knot had gone down, and he was able to slip out of Eren and dry him off. Bertholdt had made sure to change out the sheets before placing Eren down on the bed. 

Eren was wrapped in the alpha's warm embrace, knowing that he had to confront these issues. After what he had done with Bertholdt he couldn't just pretend nothing had happened so when he knew the man had fallen asleep he called upon the power he knew he had within him but had little control over. 

He woke himself up

Eren shot up in a cold sweat and found himself alone in the cold dark bedroom he felt he no longer belonged in. Now of all times he couldn't be alone, he couldn't handle it. Tears stung his eyes and spilled without his permission, and within moments, he had been reduced to sobbing into his knees. Eren couldn't even bring himself to search for Levi. His body was sore, and he was drowning in self-loathing. 

Eren wasn't sure just how long he had been sitting there alone, but he knew the moment Levi's arms had wrapped around him that he had no control over his volume. He must have heard him, Eren was sure the entire palace probably could. 

"Eren, baby, what happened, what's wrong?" Levi sat beside the omega, keeping his tone as gentle as possible despite how anxious his lover's state had him. 

"Levi, I'm so sorry" Eren gushed between sobs. He couldn't think of the words to say, but he needed to tell Levi what had happened, he couldn't bear the guilt, and he knew his silence would only tear him away from his alpha. 

"Why are you apologizing?" 

"I slept with him" Eren couldn't look up, he could barely push the words out. 

"Who?" Levi tensed immediately. 

"Bertholdt" 

"Your friend from shinganshina?" Levi blinked in confusion. 

"This curse, it has me trapped in another reality, a reality where I had forgotten you. Bertholdt is the one who's been behind my memory loss" Eren's voice was tremulous as he tried to hold himself together long enough to explain himself. "I remembered him and… my heat came, he drugged me and-" 

" _ What?"  _ Levi hissed out, gritting his teeth. 

"It doesn't matter what he did, Levi, I didn't even try to stop him, I--" 

"Eren, stop." 

Eren glanced up to Levi to see him wearing a pained expression. 

"Not right now, don't try to push yourself to talk about this right now," Levi said, tucking Eren into his arms tightly. 

"But I--" 

"I know, and I'm not going to lie and say that I'm not upset, but given the circumstances, I couldn't  _ blame _ you for what any of this. You weren't in the right state of mind to make a rational decision and that bastard… it doesn't matter right now," Levi sighed, struggling to keep a hold on his temper. 

"I'm so sorry" Eren sobbed, clutching onto Levi's shirt. 

"No, don't apologize, please. I should be apologizing, had I found a way to break this damn curse you wouldn't have had to go through this. But I'll make things right, I won't let anyone get away with taking advantage of you like that." 

"I love you," Eren said, more certain despite the gaps in his memory that all those years ago he had made the right decision. Still, things should have never turned out like this. 

"I love you too," Levi leaned his forehead against Eren's. Those silver eyes held no anger or hatred that Eren would have expected, but rather voiced exactly the message Levi was trying to get across: they would get through his together. 

From Eren, he was certain he was saying goodbye to his alpha. He knew he would be sucked back into his personal hell again and separated from his mate, Bertholdt would no doubt make a move, and there was little he could do. 

No, Eren trusted Levi, and they would get through this one way or another. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so sorry I kinda broke Eren... and seriously I rewrote this chapter like 3 times before I was actually happy with it, but I was happy I got the chance to sneak in a little Hange/Petra cuz I love that ship and it doesn't get enough attention. Anyways... I should probably sleep. 
> 
> Until next time~ 
> 
> smolwillybean needs to actually sleep.


	3. Trial and Error Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I reaaally wanted to post both parts of this chapter at the same time but it was taking me way too long to finish and also I'm not very fond of it even though it's pretty important stuff. I'll try to have the second part posted within the next few days or so but I've been really busy with end of the summer vacations and stuff. actually, I have a party to go to tomorrow that I'm super excited about~ well now that half of this chapter is finished and being posted, I'm sure I'll be able to finish the second half soon. 
> 
> anyways, enjoy~ 
> 
> and I'm sorry if this chapter is redundant or a bit less eventful. I really didn't like writing like almost half of these scenes although the other half was really fun.
> 
> note (11/5/19): wooh i finished editing! i forgot that since this chapter was broken up into two it wasn't super long. I'll have the next chapter posted soon (I hope) I'll explain the reason for the delay when I post it.

The outskirts of the kingdom were desolate. Few people chose to live so far outside of the comfort of the city, mostly only scattered farmers and hermits would be found so far out. It was a full two days journey just to get from the heart of the kingdom to the barren outskirts, and those who chose to live there may as well have huge signs posted that they'd rather be left alone than take guests.

By the time Marco had finally reached the rundown shack he had traveled across the kingdom to find, it was the dead of night. The chilly summer night held a gentle breeze that filled the void of silence with the rustle of leaves. The silent darkness gave the land almost a romantic look, if it weren't for the isolation, it would be a gorgeous spot to live in. 

Marco knew that isolation was precisely what Ymir had been seeking, he wasn't very much looking forward to the conversation he would have with his old friend. The fact that Ymir had gone to such lengths to get away from the palace made it clear that he wasn't welcome, but he had no intentions of leaving without her. 

As it was so late, it came as no surprise when the soft rapping at the door brought out no response. It may have been wise, and also considerably more polite, to have waited for morning, but the trip had left Marco tired and far less patient than usual. He knew it wouldn't have been any easier to draw Ymir out during the day, as it was, not to mention catching her off guard at night reduced the risk of her being able to bolt. 

The alpha chose to force his way into the house, which in itself wasn't difficult, however, had he been less experienced and skilled he wouldn't have possibly been able to do so unnoticed. He quietly broke the lock to the door, and it creaked softly once open. 

Minding his footing, Marco took a few careful steps into the dismal shack making virtually no sound as he walked. The air had an eerie sense of foreboding as Marco traded the serene quiet of the outside for the thick stillness of the invaded territory. 

It was far too dark for Marco to make out any details of the room, but cramped space left him unable to properly observe his surroundings, putting him on edge. There was a dim, flickering light coming out from an entryway which the knight presumed to be a hallway, but light's presence indicated that Ymir, was in fact, awake. 

Marco gritted his teeth as he slinked closer to the light, hoping he might make it to the doorway without being noticed. He navigated carefully around furniture with his hand hovering over his sheathed rapier, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. He had been so focused on silently approaching the lit room that he hadn't taken the time to check behind the very furniture he danced around. 

The shuffling of clothing gave away an otherwise perfectly hidden figure, and the moment the sound registered, Marco whirled around on his heels with enough time to catch the wrist of his attacker before the pan in her hand had a chance to connect with his head. Ymir was quick and instantly booted Marco in the stomach with enough force to stagger him. As Marco regained his balance, he drew his rapier, and a resounding clang rang through the room as the cold metal of his weapon met Ymir's pan as she took another swing. 

Marco knocked the pan away and glided out of the way effortlessly when Ymir swung at him a third time. He grabbed her by her arm and pressed it against her back, forcing her against the wall and making her drop the pan all in one swift movement. He kept a tight hold on his rapier as he held Ymir in place, just to be safe. 

"Now, is that any way to greet an old friend?" 

"The way I see it, you're no better than a burglar with the way you broke in." Ymir sneered. "And you broke my door." 

"If you had answered it, I wouldn't have needed to break it," Marco chided. 

"Do you know what time it is? You're awfully rude for dropping in unannounced at this hour." 

"I think it's far more rude to just up and leave without ever writing, Ymir." Marco snorted. "I came by Hange's request. We need your help." 

"Will you let go of me?" 

"We'll see," Marco said, "Eren's been cursed, and Hange believes Krista may have recorded information that can help us break it." 

"You bastard." Ymir seethed and struggled against Marco's hold. It seemed to be the right move to not release the girl just yet. 

"I know it's hard for you to talk about what happened, but please, Ymir. You left everyone behind, don't you think it's about time for you to come back?" Marco pleaded. He knew this wasn't the way they should have gone about bringing Ymir back to the palace, but things were looking desperate, and there wasn't much of a choice left. 

"You want to go rooting through my dead girlfriend's stuff, that's really all this is!" Ymir yelled out venomously. 

"That's not the only reason I agreed, and you know that. When Krista left us, we were all hurt. You had a family to turn to, but you left to come out here, and now that family is worried about you." 

"Oh yes, so you wait until you  _ need  _ something from me to come find me." 

"I agree that it's not the most pleasant of circumstances, but I had no way to convince you to come back before." 

"And you think that this is convincing?" 

"No, not at all. But a chance to avenge Krista's death might be," Marco responded, knowing well that it would catch Ymir's attention. "The king found Annie. She's the one who cursed Eren, and he had been hunting her down ever since. Eren's condition has taken a turn for the worse, and he's currently entirely at her mercy, so a team will be dispatched to bring her in." 

Ymir knew very well that this was a bribe, it was obvious. She also knew that she would never have a chance of even getting close to Annie on her own without getting herself killed. The woman's drive for revenge was strong enough that giving up Krista's work to be examined was a small sacrifice to make in return for bringing down the woman who had killed her. 

"I'm going to be on that team," Ymir demanded. 

"If you come back with me, then I'll see to it personally," Marco grinned. 

"Fine." 

Marco released Ymir and glanced down at the frying pan she had attacked him with. 

"So you really thought you could take me on with  _ that?  _ " 

"Marco, you know damn well that if I had wanted to put you on your ass and kill you, I would have," Ymir said with a cocky grin. 

"I beg to disagree, you have yet to best me in a spar." Marco raised an eyebrow as he sheathed his rapier. 

"Shut up, Marco. Just make yourself comfortable on the couch. We'll leave in the morning," Ymir snickered. 

Marco nodded in response. 

"Goodnight, Ymir. It's good to see you again." 

"Yeah, you too" Ymir walked off back to her room down the hall, and the house returned to silence.

~~Trial and Error~~

"Ah, Ymir, we missed you so much! It's wonderful to see you again." Petra gushed, wrapping Ymir in a tight hug. 

"Yeah, nice to see you too, mind letting me breathe?" Ymir grumbled. 

"I don't know, after leaving so suddenly and not even writing, I think bone-crushing hugs are warranted" Hange defended. 

"Aren't we supposed to be helping the little prince? I can't help you if I can't move," Ymir narrowed her eyes. 

"Right, right, I nearly forgot," Petra laughed nervously "Can I take a peek at those research logs? I have high hopes for the information we might uncover"

"Be my guest, though try not to get your hopes up, Krista coded all her work" Ymir shrugged rather apathetically. 

"I wouldn't have expected anything less, Krista used her magic to help people, but in the wrong hands her work could do some brutal damage," Hange said, their excitement showing on their face. This was just another exciting project now in contrast to the hopeless struggle it had previously been. 

"Right well, I'll help you however I can, but I don't have any sort of magic abilities, so it's not like I really know much" Ymir stated plainly. 

"It's alright, you've already given us a huge advantage as it is" Petra practically squealed as she started to sift through the pages of the journal with the oldest dates. 

"So, what does it say?" Hange asked, peering over Petra's shoulder. 

"Huh, this looks more like a story than anything. Ymir, you're sure these are the right books?" Petra asked, glancing up. 

"Positive, I told you she coded them" 

Petra frowned and furrowed her brow. "Yes, I know, but I never expected this" 

"Hey, give it some time, I'm sure we'll figure it out. We only just started" Hange cheered excitedly. 

"Wait for a second!" Petra's eyes widen as she scanned over the pages. 

"What, you found something already? An amazing breakthrough?" Hange gasped. 

"Hold on, hold on. I think I got something. I need to run to the library for a bit" Petra said quickly, scribbling a couple notes onto a scrap paper before running off and leaving Ymir and Hange on their own. 

"I've looked at those books dozens of times and never got anything" Ymir raised an eyebrow. 

"That's my little omega, isn't she amazing~" Hange giggles to which Ymir rolled her eyes. 

  
  
  


Petra tucked herself away in the library, pulling multiple books off the shelves and placing them down at one of the tables as she furiously scribbled in her notebook as she examined each and every story along with the notes Krista had left her. 

The girl was indeed a genius and a complete mystery, she had left all of her notes in the perfect code for Petra to decipher easily with only a little time and effort necessary. Her early work held little relevance to their current issue, however it not only gave Petra a fantastic insight to the horrors Krista had seen people go through at the hand of magic that had in fact been  _ banned  _ in their kingdom for this very reason, but she also got a better understanding of the witch she would be working against. Every little detail was necessary, and she wouldn't dare to overlook anything. 

Petra became deaf to her surroundings, so profoundly enveloped in her work and for the first time in months, she felt at ease with it. For so long she had been desperately searching for answers, but as she educated herself on the form of magic Annie wielded, it almost resembled the nights she would lay studying well into the early hours of the morning out of pure love for her work. 

The omega had lost herself so deeply in her work that she, in fact, hadn't even noticed her partner enter the library well after the sun had gone down. 

"Hey, little lady, how are things coming along?" Hange asked, wrapping their arms around Petra lovingly. 

"Ah!" Petra jumped at the touch and turned to Hange, far more shocked than she should have been. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I guess you were really focused," They laughed. 

"No, no, it's fine. Sorry, think I got carried away, I lost track of time." Petra hummed, organizing all of the books into a neat stack and slipping them into the bag she had brought along. 

"Well, I was curious about whether or not you found anything." 

"Oh, Hange, you have no idea! There's so much, I can't even begin to describe how well detailed Krista's journals are. Once I figured out the key to translating it, all it takes is just a little extra reading" Petra squealed excitedly. 

Hange glanced at Petra's bag, intrigued. 

"Are those fairytales?" they asked curiously. 

"I'll explain later, we should go to sleep, shouldn't we?" Petra hummed. 

Hange nodded and wrapped a tight arm around Petra's waist as they headed back to their room. 

~~Trial and Error~~

_ Eren gasped as his back was forced against a wall, Levi's hands traveled over his hips as he pressed against the brunette. Eren let out a quiet, breathy moan as he tilted his head to the side while his alpha's lips traveled along his neck. He strung fingers through Levi's hair and pulled him up to connect their lips in a heated kiss. Eren was doing his best to stifle the soft moans that threatened to spill from his mouth as Levi palmed him through his pants.  _

_ Eren pressed himself flushed against Levi, every bit of contact making it harder for him to think straight. He so badly wanted his lover to take him, but they couldn't be doing this, not now. The two had slipped away for a couple minutes, and it had somehow dissolved into this. A passionate makeout session in a closet down the hall from where a vivacious party was being held. Eren could hear the soft drone of chatter from where he stood. _

_ Eren turned his head, breaking their kiss, but not deterring Levi. Kisses were pressed against the omega's jaw as he caught his breath.  _

_ "Wait, Levi."  _

_ "Hmm?"  _

_ "Someone will notice that we're gone, we have to go back."  _

_ "Tch, they won't notice that we slipped out. It's a big party" Levi hummed against Eren's skin.  _

_ "It's  _ your  _ party, and you're supposed to be socializing with the guests," Eren laughed breathlessly.  _

_ "I'm socializing with a guest right now." Levi purred. "This was supposed to be a party to celebrate finding my mate, but this is how I choose to celebrate."  _

_ "You'll have me all to yourself tonight, but for now we need to go back," Eren said with a smile as he slipped away from his alpha and straightened his clothes.  _

_ "Fair enough," Levi said as he recomposed himself and followed Eren back to the party.  _

Levi woke from his dream with a frustrated groan, he was having a hard time thinking of anything other than his suffering mate laying beside him. What had once been pleasant memories were becoming torturous reminders of Eren's current state. The thought only made his heartache, and rather than sitting back and wallowing in his own grief, Levi stood and dressed before descending into the depths of the palace in search of something to occupy his time. 

The king's mind drifted to the idea of taking the time to contact Erwin. After what Eren had told him, he figured it would be beneficial to reach out to his friend to discuss the states of the two omegas. Levi could send out a letter, though he figured a personal visit would be a far more efficient way to go. 

The palace was quiet, as it was nearly 2 am, most of the servants had retired for the night, leaving only the nightly crew of guards on watch. Levi navigated down the hallway with one person in mind to accompany him for extra security. Maybe it was a bit late to be leaving. However, it would take a few hours to reach Erwin's residence as it was, so by the time they arrived he had no doubt that, since Erwin was an early riser, he would catch him at a good time. 

"Mikasa," Levi called out as he reached the common room shared by all of the palace guards. 

As expected, Mikasa was still awake and sitting on a couch with her legs crossed and a book in her hands. Her mate was lazily draped across her lap as she slept soundly. Mikasa glanced up but only nodded in response. 

"I need to pay a visit to an old friend, and I'd like you to accompany me," Levi stated, minding his volume as to not wake Sasha. 

"Tonight? Isn't it a bit late for a visit, are you sure you wouldn't rather wait until the morning?" Mikasa asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she strung her fingers through Sasha's hair.

"By the time we arrive it will be morning, it's urgent, I promise you."

"If you don't mind my asking, what could be so urgent?" Mikasa asked impassively.

"A close friend of Eren's happens to be under the same curse he's suffering from, that friend also happens to be the mate of an old friend of mine," Levi stated simply. 

Mikasa's brow furrowed. "An old friend?"

"Armin" 

Mikasa's eyes widen at the mention. She hadn't seen Armin in a while, but it was hard to believe that another one of her friends could have fallen victim to the same fate as Eren. Mikasa looked down to Sasha, taking a moment to think before speaking. "I'll go, just let me tell Sasha first." 

"Of course." 

Mikasa lifted the brunette into her arms effortlessly, effectively stirring her from her sleep as the alpha carried her to her bunk. 

"Are you coming to sleep?" Sasha yawned out, lazily draping her arms over Mikasa's shoulder as she fought to stay awake for just a few minutes. 

"No, the king needs me to escort him to speak with a friend." 

"So late?" Sasha pouted. "I wanted to cuddle."

"He said his business is urgent. I'll be back tomorrow" Mikasa said softly, kissing Sasha's forehead and earning a satisfied hum from the omega as she lazily leaned up to press a kiss to Mikasa's jaw and curled up to let herself fall back asleep. 

Mikasa left Sasha wrapped in blankets and headed back to the common room. 

"Alright, I'd like to be quick about this, if possible." 

"We should return by tomorrow night." 

Mikasa nodded in response. "I'll let Marco know what's going on, then" 

Levi nodded, and the two went their separate ways as they prepared for their sudden trip. They set out not too long after and made the long trek to Erwin's residence. 

~~Trial and Error~~

"Is Petra ok? I mean she hasn't left the lab all morning, and she kicked me out when I told her she should eat something" Ymir questioned, crossing her arms. 

Having little to do with her time for the moment, she had gone to check on Petra only to be turned away the moment she stepped into the lab. As much as she hated to admit it, she was concerned about the girl pushing herself so hard, concerned enough to talk to Hange of all people.

"Awe, Ymir, I knew you cared~" Hange giggled, earning a glare from Ymir. 

"If I want to be sent to find that witch, I have to play nice, don't fool yourself into thinking it's anything more" Ymir growled out in irritation. 

"Of course, of course, Well, I can't say I'm not worried as well, but Petra's working so hard and she seemed so excited, I didn't want to interrupt her just yet." 

"She kicked you out, too, didn't she?"

"Oh, hell yeah," Hange laughed. "It's ok, she'll tell us about it when she's got something." 

"Yeah, whatever, all I care about right now is finding Annie" Ymir shrugged. 

"Right, then shouldn't you be preparing?" 

"I would, but things are so chaotic around here. Word is Levi's visiting yet another curse victim today" Ymir sighed. 

"Oh, really? Hopefully, he'll bring back some good information for Petra" Hange beamed. 

"So, if Petra's handling this little project of yours, are you just laying around like a bump on a log?" Ymir questioned. 

"Oh, of course not! I've actually been catching up on other work I've had to put off since Annie started stirring up trouble." Hange explained. "Actually, I still have to check in on Eren, after all, his curse is still spreading across his body." 

"I know you probably don't want to hear it, but you know, even Krista hadn't been able to find cures to Annie's curses until it was too late, right?" Ymir mumbled. 

"I'm aware."

"Well, then why do you seem so optimistic?" 

Hange thought for a moment, it was a difficult question to answer. They all knew the odds, but their dedication to breaking the curse wasn't fueled by their own desire necessarily, nor was it the usual case where they helped someone they hardly knew. Even while they cared deeply for their general work, they were pouring everything into this one case despite how bleak things were looking. 

"Eren is like family, and in addition to that, he's someone our king deeply cares about. If we worry, then so will everyone else and panic will only interrupt our progress." Hange explained with a soft smile. "It's helpful to keep a cool head in times like these" 

"You? Keep a cool head?" Ymir snorted. 

Before Hange could retort, the lab door slammed open, and Petra flew out practically shrieking, colliding with Hange and wrapping them in a tight embrace. 

"What, what happened, are you alright!?" Ymir yelped in surprise. 

"I've got it, I finally got it!" Petra squealed loudly, enough to make Ymir's ears bleed. 

"Geez, woman!" Ymir hissed. 

"Did you figure out a cure?" Hange asked excitedly 

"Not quite, but I'm close. Really close, I can feel it!" Petra said, pulling Hange into the lab by their wrist. 

"Well, did you manage to decipher Krista's work?" Ymir asked with a slight edge of indifference in her tone. 

"Yes, I thought it was going to be difficult, but I finally figured it out and put all the pieces together!" Petra said, scampering over to her notes, strewn across the desk along with all of her library books and Krista's logs. "Krista hid her work within fairytales, once I reread all of these famous tales, it lead me to the answer, along with the patterns in Annie's work. Not only that, but It's given me a bit of insight as to what her motivation might be" she shrilled. 

"Lady, can you cool it with your squealing? My ears would thank you!" Ymir groaned. 

"Sorry, sorry. I got a little excited there" Petra laughed and picked up her notes. "So I first noticed passages from the little mermaid and Snow White, but Krista changed some of the key components to each story. I compared and contrasted her stories to root out the fact from fiction and was left with the pieces I needed to figure out what really happened based on my own prior knowledge of Krista" Petra said, her grin widening as she spoke. 

"Wait, you're making it sound as though Krista intended for only you to receive this message" Ymir blinked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Shh, I'm not finished" Petra waved a hand dismissively. "By the end of her last journal she recorded, she was noting something incredibly interesting. She had recorded information about Eren's curse," Petra continued.

"That's impossible!" Ymir burst out, "We all know Krista died long before Annie cursed Eren!" 

"I hate to admit it, but Ymir's right. Are you sure you didn't just interpret it wrong?" Hange asked 

"I'm certain. Krista wasn't able to live to see the day Eren was cursed, but she had already anticipated it," Petra said. "I'm pretty sure that's why Annie targeted her." 

Ymir's eyes widen, and she stumbled back, shaking her head. She nearly lost her footing as her knees buckled beneath her. All this time, she had never known the exact reason why Annie had targeted Krista, after all, they had thought she was unaware of Krista's work or that she was following her. This knowledge only made the beta relive the painful memories of her girlfriend's death. 

"No, you're telling me Krista only died because she became aware of Annie's plans?" She gasped, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. 

"Ymir-" Petra started, concern covering her face. 

"No, don't. Do what you have to and find your answers but I just…" Ymir glanced away. "I just need some time to process this, I'm sorry" She muttered and left the room hastily. 

"Ymir!" Petra called out, making a move to follow the girl only for Hange to take hold of her wrist.

"Let her go, she'll be ok, Petra. Just give her some time," Hange rubbed Petra's shoulder. "Now, I'm sure there was more to what you learned, you said Krista wrote about the curse and Annie's motives, right?" 

"Well it seemed like Krista had actually been tracking Annie's movements, Krista's theory was that Annie intended to use Eren as a hostage" Petra sighed. 

"What? But Annie hasn't even made any sort of attempt to contact the king since she cursed Eren" Hange rose an eyebrow. 

"I can't be entirely certain, but I think that she's planning something and waiting for the right moment. The sooner we bring her in, the better." 

"You've done so well, babe. I'm proud of you!" Hange cheered, wrapping their arms around Petra. 

"We're not finished yet, I still need to find a cure, but I am a lot better off than I was before" Petra sighs, leaning back into her partner. Her endless reading had left her exhausted, and though her breakthrough was huge, it felt as though she was only scratching the surface of a whole plot, she truly knew nothing about. 

~~Trial and Error~~

_ "Levi, meet Eren. This young boy was discovered in Shinganshina" The king said and gestured to Eren. The omega was looking over Levi with pure contempt, but there was an underlying sense of uncertainty accompanying it.  _

_ When their eyes met, the anger Levi had been holding over this forced meeting began to drain against his will. He had never been one to believe in the stories of fated mates that his parents would tell him when he was younger. According to his parents, those of royal blood had mates they would love unconditionally, though their family rarely met their fated mates and would settle for whoever was most compatible just like everyone else. The stories seemed more like a myth than anything else, but when the king had told Levi he had found his mate, he still hated the idea despite his disbelief.  _

_ It was hard not to believe in the tale when the moment Levi had laid eyes on this brat his instincts were screaming at him that it was his mate. He wanted to turn away and leave, send the boy back to Shinganshina but he knew it wouldn't be allowed, and given it wasn't Eren's fault he chose not to take it out on him.  _

_ "It's a pleasure to meet you," The prince said politely, bowing to the new boy.  _

_ Eren took one glance at Levi and wordlessly turned away with a glare, regardless of the king's presence and the risks of punishment for his disrespect.  _

_ To his surprise, the king just laughed in response. "I'll let you two get acquainted, Eren will be staying with us from now on, after all," The kind stated and left the two boys.  _

_ There was a long, awkward silence, Eren didn't want to speak to Levi, and Levi couldn't exactly blame him. Eren hadn't chosen to come here and wouldn't be allowed to return home, Levi understood where his anger was coming from, and while it shouldn't have bothered him in the slightest, it had his inner alpha a bit on edge.  _

_ "How did they figure out that you're my mate?" Levi asked.  _

_ "Don't tell me you actually believe in that shit" Eren laughed bitterly, directing his glare back to Levi.  _

_ "It's hard for me not to when I can tell that you are," Levi said plainly.  _

_ "How?" Eren narrowed his eyes in disbelief.  _

_ "Maybe if you answer my question, I'll answer yours" Levi smirked.  _

_ Eren huffed and rolled his eyes. "I don't know, ok? One minute, everything's fine. I'm at home just like usual, and suddenly I hear someone tipped off the damn king to where I lived, and I was being taken from my home with no explanation until like half an hour ago."  _

_ Levi frowned, his father was usually such a reasonable and just man, but to essentially kidnap this kid? Even if he was a brat, he didn't deserve to be taken from his family.  _

_ "So how do you know?"  _

_ "Hmm?"  _

_ "You said if I answered your question, you would answer mine, so how do you know I'm your mate?" Eren asked _

_ "I can feel it," Levi said after a moment of thought, that was really it, there was no other way to explain it. _

_ "Really? That's such a lame answer."  _

_ "Not as lame as ‘I don't know'" Levi shrugged.  _

_ "I don't care if you think I'm your mate, I've already got an alpha. I fully intend to be with him." Eren muttered.  _

_ "Really." Levi fought down the ache he felt. Eren was a boy he had only just met, it was really none of his business who he was with. "I'll make you a deal"  _

_ "What kind of deal?" Eren asked, suspicion clear on his face.  _

_ "Stay here until I become king. Once I'm in charge, I'll let you return to Shinganshina. At that point, the decision will be mine."  _

_ "What, are you convinced you can change my mind or something?" Eren sneered.  _

_ "I have no interest in keeping you here or mating you based on a myth. If we truly felt something for each other, that would be one thing, but I won't hold you here against your will once the decision is mine," Levi stated.  _

_ "Does that mean I can't go back until you're crowned king?"  _

_ "You can visit Shinganshina whenever you'd like, I'm not going to stop you."  _

"Sir?" Mikasa called out, Levi's attention was caught, and he glanced over to his guard. 

"You seem a bit on edge, and you keep spacing out." Mikasa murmured. 

"I'm just thinking is all" Levi sighed. It was still pretty early, but once they had arrived, they had been directed to the dining room by a servant. Both Mikasa and Levi were itching to get their meeting over with so they could just go home. 

"Your majesty, I apologize for the wait, I hope you had not been kept long" Erwin announced as he walked into the dining room. "It's nice of you to stop by, to what do I owe the pleasure?" 

"I heard Armin has been cursed, as I'm sure you're aware, but Eren has been as well" Levi stated bluntly. He didn't want to stay any longer than he had to, better to be straightforward. 

"Yes, he had been waking up a while back and seemed to have been recovering but all of a sudden he went back into a coma" Erwin explained, and despite the man's usual collected demeanor Levi could see through the facade at just how worried Erwin really was and how badly he hoped that Levi might have good news. 

"The same thing had happened to Eren" Levi muttered. "But I have some information you may want to hear." 

"Oh?" 

"We found that someone had been able to contact Eren within his comatose or more accurately, someone had been controlling him to keep him from waking. Eren mentioned that he had met Armin in what seemed to be an alternate reality and I have no doubt that he's gone through something similar" Levi said. 

Erwin stiffened a little at Levi's explanation but nodded in response. 

"I have a proposition for you. Come to the palace with Armin, Petra and Hange can keep watch over him. They're making progress with finding a cure to the curse, and I'm sure any information you could provide would aid them greatly." Levi said. 

"I'm not so sure traveling is safe for him at the moment," Erwin said, frowning. 

"I can assure you he'll be safe, Mikasa is one of our most skilled guards, and we'll be traveling by carriage." 

Erwin was silent as he thought over the risks, but in reality, he had to agree that with the king and his trusted guard, Armin would be better off going somewhere where he could potentially be cured. 

"Do you think those two can really find a cure?" 

"They may be… immature at times, but I trust them and believe they'll put an end to this. We have a backup plan, as well," Levi said with a knowing smile. 

"What might that be?" 

"A team is being sent to take Annie as a prisoner, worst comes to worst we could always torture her for the information. I'm not fond of barbaric acts such as that, however, she crossed me and tried to take my mate from me, I'm willing to go to just about any lengths to find the cure" Levi said calmly, far more calmly than suitable given what his words implied. 

"Don't you think that may be what she's counting on?" Erwin's voice held a certain amount of warning. 

"I don't care." Levi knew his tone was unnecessarily hostile, but it was as though his rational thoughts were slowly slipping away from him the longer things went on. He had already been waiting for so long, and now Eren was back where he started.

Erwin was silent for a moment, analyzing Levi's expression for something Levi couldn't comprehend before he nodded. "Alright, I'll return with you, for Armin's sake." 

"Then we'll leave out as soon as you're ready." 

~~Trial and Error~~

The training grounds of the palace were rarely quiet during the day, the clash of wooden practice weapons was often heard around this time as the younger trainees were instructed on the basic fundamentals of fighting. However, in given the circumstances, Marco had reserved the area to better prepare his team for their upcoming task. Despite the only people being present being those who would accompany him, the training grounds felt as lively as ever as each individual sparred so Marco could get a better idea of what role each person would fill. 

Connie, Sasha, Ymir, and Jean had been chosen for their respective skills by Marco, while Eld, Gunther, and Oluo had been suggested by the king. To be fair, Marco was already aware of how his own picks would play into his plans, but this time gave them practice along with the opportunity for Marco to observe Eld, Gunther, and Oluo.

When Jean had challenged Sasha, their companions had gathered around to watch the fight with piqued interest, Sasha was always goofing off, and yet she had managed to avoid every hit Jean threw at her, effectively drawing the newcomers' attention along with their friends.

Jean staggered back, having taken a direct blow to the side from Sasha, who was still energetically prancing around on light feet, seemingly unfazed by their match. Their fight was far less formal than usual practice would entail for the guards, however, with the exception of three veteran guards who would be assisting the group, they all had known each other for years which gave them each a certain amount of comfort and familiarity with each other. 

Jean grinned as he regained his footing and straightened his stance, taking time to plan his next move as he kept a safe distance from Sasha. 

"Come on, is that the best you've got?" he sneered. 

"Jean, you're clearly exhausted just trying to keep up, do you really want me to put you on your ass in front of everyone?" Sasha mocked. 

"I'd like to see you try." 

"Suit yourself, it might be good for you to be knocked down a few pegs anyways" Sasha giggled, lunging at Jean and throwing a swift punch which he easily dodged, but in doing so, he left himself vulnerable to the kick Sasha landed against the back of his legs. Jean's legs buckled and had him collapsing just as Sasha predicted. 

Connie and Ymir burst out laughing, drawing a growl out of the fallen guard. 

"Wow, all that big talk and Sasha had you down in seconds, you gotta work on your game, man" Connie teased. 

Jean jumped to his feet and swept Connie's legs out from under him just as Sasha had done to him seconds before. 

"The way I see it, I'm still far better than you'll ever be" Jean snickered. 

"You caught me off guard!" Connie huffed and scrambled back to his feet. 

"Is our little Jean sore about losing? Poor baby" Ymir cooed mockingly, draping an arm over Jean's shoulder. 

"Get off of me!" Jean growled. 

"He might be a sore loser, but he did have a point. Connie needs to be prepared for anything, a surprise attack could come when we least expect it" Gunther voiced with a frown. 

"You're all just a bunch of children. If you don't get your act together, what hope will we have to successfully take a powerful witch in as our prisoner?" Oluo jeered. 

"Watch it, old man" Jean warned, glaring at Oluo. 

"What, you're gonna start a fight right after having your ass handed to you? Keep dreaming kid, I'm far more skilled than you'll ever--" Oluo cut himself off after biting his tongue, making Eld and Gunther snicker. 

"Don't mind him, you may be childish, but you've at the very least proven your skills, we look forward to working with you?" Eld said.

"Thank you, Eld" Marco nodded in appreciation. 

"Just make sure to focus when the time comes for us to head out, and I think we'll get along just fine," Gunther said 

Gunther, Eld, and Oluo all had far more experience than Marco, and yet they would be under his command. The alpha had previously been concerned about whether or not the three would willingly take directions from him. They trusted the king, and by extension, they trusted Marco's judgment as he had been selected by Levi for their assignment. 

"Of course, we'll be gathering more formally to discuss strategy as soon as Mikasa returns, until then you're all dismissed" Marco announced, and the gathered group began to disperse, leaving only his mate remaining beside him. 

"I may be a little rusty, but nothing a little practice can't fix," Jean said with a cocky grin, to which Marco smiled. 

Marco wrapped an arm around Jean's waist as they walked back inside from the training grounds. "I know you will."

"This is the first big assignment you're leading, right? Aren't you excited?" Jean asked as they walked down the hall back to their usual post outside of the king's bedroom. It had been pretty dull watching over Eren since nothing really happened, but given the two usually got to spend that time together it wasn't too bad. 

"Well, yes, but more than that, I feel really nervous. Annie's dangerous, and we all know she's not working alone, yet we have to know idea how many followers she might have or how strong they are." Marco admitted. 

"We have a strong team and an even stronger leader, don't worry about that, we'll be prepared for anything," Jean said, stopping Marco and wrapping his arms around his partner. 

"I know, but most of our team are people who we've known and trained with for years. If we were to even lose one person--"

"Don't think about that. The job is simple, get in, find Annie, and leave. We're not going to lose anyone," Jean said, cupping Marco's cheek in his hand. Marco smiled softly and leaned down to press a sweet kiss to Jean's lips.

"Yeah, you're right. I trust my team and their strength. We have nothing to worry about" Marco murmured with a sigh. 

Jean smiled and crossed his arms. "I really missed you, you know." 

"I missed you too, although I wasn't gone all that long," Marco chuckled. 

"It's hard to sleep in an empty bed after being with you for so long," Jean muttered. 

"Aww, you're so cute." 

"It's not my fault your snoring has become like white noise." 

"I don't snore!" Marco defended quickly.

"Sure you don't." 

"Sir!" One of the palace servants came running down the hall and stopped in front of Marco. "The king has returned and wanted to speak with you in the throne room," they said. 

"What about?" 

"He didn't say."

Marco nodded and let the servant return to their usual work before kissing Jean's forehead. "I'm sure this won't take long, I'll be back soon," Marco hummed before heading towards the throne room. 

The king sat beside Mikasa, while Hange and Petra stood close by. Marco also noticed a newcomer, holding an unconscious boy in his arms.

"Sir?" Marco called out, and all eyes fell on him. 

"We've found another victim of Annie's curse. I'm becoming impatient, I trust that you've assembled the team you plan to take to bring Annie in along with a solid plan?" Levi questioned. 

"Yes, sir," Marco nodded. 

"Then your team will be heading out in three days, the sooner we bring Annie in the better," Levi stated. 

Marco bit back the shock and confusion he had at the king's words. Three days was not nearly long enough for him to become comfortable with his team's understanding of his plans, but he knew better than to question the king's decision. 

"Your majesty, if I may make a suggestion" Mikasa chimed in. 

"Go ahead," Levi said, glancing to the girl curiously. 

"I request that my new recruit be added to the team" Mikasa stated. 

"What?" Marco's eyes widen. The new recruit Mikasa had taken in was only a kid, there was no way they could bring him on such a dangerous assignment. 

"Why involve him with this job?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"He has already excelled in his training, and he could be useful to our cause" Mikasa explained. 

"There's no wa-" 

"Mikasa is skilled, and I trust her judgment. Marco, I trust you will at least take her suggestion into consideration," Levi said firmly "The final decision will be yours." 

"Yes, sir," Marco sighed. 

"Mikasa, take him to evaluate the new recruit," Levi commanded. Mikasa nodded and led Marco off. 

"Now, you two," Levi said, glancing towards Hange and Petra. 

"Yes, sir?" Petra perked up. 

"I want you to take a look at Armin, his condition is nearly identically to Eren's," Levi said. "Still, I'm sure anything you might find would help." 

"Of course. I may not be able to cure him just yet, but I can at the very least slow the pace of the curse's progression" Petra said eagerly, leading Erwin off to a room where Armin could stay. 

Levi sighed and held the bridge of his nose. Everything was still a mess, and being away from his mate for so long was starting to wear him down. He vaguely remembered hearing of the consequences from prolonged separation from his mate. It would affect them both differently, but Levi recalled tales of insanity spouting in those from his bloodline. 

He didn't want to believe in such a horrible fate, it only made it harder for him to focus on protecting Eren. Still, it was hard not to believe when everything else he had been told had already been proven to be factual. The sooner they found Annie, the easier it would be for Levi to preserve the safety of his mate. 

Levi was sure they were running out of time, and they needed to fix this mess before his rationality slipped away from him. 

~~Trial and Error~~

"This is Marco, he'll be in charge of you for the upcoming assignment" Mikasa stated as she approached the new recruit with Marco trailing behind. 

The boy sat in the common room of the trainees' wing, looking up towards Mikasa with a curious expression. 

"Marco, meet Leon." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Marco said with a smile.

Leon nodded, though he kept quiet. 

"I want you to demonstrate your skill to Marco. He'll be the one deciding whether or not you accompany our team," Mikasa explained. 

Leon stood and took on a proper stance.

"Wait, Mikasa, I can't fight him, he's just a child!" Marco frowned. 

"Don't underestimate him." 

Leon growled and immediately lunged at Marco, anticipating his movements and easily dodging the man's half-hearted swipe in favor of ducking beneath his arm and elbowing him in the back. The hit did little to affect Marco but effectively shocked him into staggering. Before Marco could get his bearings, the boy had used his own weight and velocity against him, using his stumble to push him against the wall. 

"If I had a dagger, you wouldn't be able to get away from me without getting your neck sliced" Leon hissed bitterly. "How's that for a child?" 

"I told you," Mikasa shrugged. 

"This kid is fast!" Marco said as Leon backed off. 

"Stop calling me a kid!" Leon demanded angrily. 

"Yeah, he doesn't like that," Mikasa shrugged. 

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry." 

"So, will you allow him on our team?"

"Yes. Leon may be young, but he may prove useful since we need to catch Annie off guard," Marco said with a grin. 

"Leon, go join the others" Mikasa instructed, Leon nodded and ran off but not before glaring daggers at Marco one last time.

"He's good, but…" Marco started. 

"I know, don't take it personally, he's not very fond of anyone. He only tolerates me," Mikasa said. "He has a lot of potential, I believe he can learn a lot from you." 

"Right, I think you made a good call, Mikasa," Marco smiled. Mikasa nodded 

"Don't stress out, I'm sure the king had his own reasons for setting our departure for three days from now," Mikasa said. 

"How do you know I was worried about that?" 

"I would have been more concerned if you weren't. It was clearly not enough time to prepare for our task," Mikasa raised an eyebrow. 

"Yeah, we'll just have to use our time wisely" Marco sighed. "I'm going to go find Jean. Sleep well, Mikasa" Marco muttered as he headed back out of the room. 

~~Trial and Error~~

_ "So, this Bertholdt guy was the only family you had?" Levi asked. _

_ "Yes, he was all I had, my everything. He's gone, and I don't know what to do" Eren sobbed out, resorting to pulling his knees to his chest  _

_ "Eren, I'm sorry," Levi said sincerely. He felt to blame, had Eren not been taken by the king, then maybe he wouldn't have suddenly lost the only family he had. Perhaps he expected Eren to blame him as well, so when Eren chose, instead, to wrap his arms tightly around Levi, it had come as a shock.  _

_ "I'm sick of being alone. I don't want to be alone anymore! I had never even gotten the chance to say goodbye."  _

_ Levi rubbed Eren's back, he wasn't the best at comforting people, but he couldn't let his awkward social behavior have him freeze up when Eren needed him.  _

_ "I know, I'm sorry," Levi murmured again.  _

_ "Don't be sorry, just don't go."  _

_ "I would never," Levi said quickly, an edge of bitterness in his tone, which he was sure Eren hadn't missed. How could someone who claimed to love Eren just ditch him so suddenly, Eren had written home several times before their visit with no response but even his letters should have been enough to establish that he hadn't left for good.  _

_ "Eren, that girl from Shinganshina, the one who told you about that alpha's disappearance, what was her name?"  _

_ "Mikasa?"  _

_ "Yes, you know, she's old enough to train as one of the palace guards," Levi said with a soft smile. "You could be close to one of your friends if you could convince her to join."  _

_ Eren wiped his eyes and nodded silently, still clearly having a hard time pulling himself together.  _

_ "Just don't cry, it doesn't suit you" Levi held Eren tight, and by some miracle managed to soothe the boy as they sat together. Levi had not kept track of how long he held Eren there, but they had sat in comfortable silence for a while before Eren spoke again. _

_ "Levi."  _

_ "Hmm?"  _

_ "I think I want to stay here."  _

_ Levi smiled, though it was bittersweet. "Of course."  _

_ Levi couldn't bring back Bertholdt, hell, he really didn't want to, but he could at least bring someone important to Eren closer to him. He would make a recommendation for the girl to become one of the guards, maybe it was a small gesture, but it was something.  _

_ Still, it seemed like Eren appreciated it nonetheless.  _

_ Eren wasn't so bitter about staying beside Levi after that, especially after he had convinced Mikasa to take Levi's offer. Things had gained a sort of normalcy after that which he never would have expected, and maybe he still hurt over the loss of Bertholdt but as time went by the wounds of a lost loved one healed.  _

~~Trial and Error~~

It was morning, and Marco had limited time to discuss and perfect his strategy with his team, which they would use for their current assignment. His focus was on efficiency and decreasing the amount of risk involved. All the guards from the previous meet up, in addition to Leon and Mikasa, were present and waiting attentively. Marco laid a map of the Trost district across a table as he planned what he would say.

Marco cleared his throat, catching the attention of his team before he began to speak. "We already know that Annie is held up on the edge of the Trost District. Traveling as a group will attract far too much attention, so I've decided on smaller squads that we'll split into and once Annie is contained, will meet up at a designated spot." 

"As Eld, Gunther, and Oluo are well acquainted with each other's tactics and behaviors, Eld will be leading the squad in charge of the wagon. The three of them will assist in binding Annie to keep her from breaking lose while we bring her back to the palace." Marco started. 

"Mikasa will lead Connie, Ymir, and Sasha. The four of them will be more or less back up hidden out of sight for extra support in the case that something goes wrong. I will be bringing Jean and Leon directly into the hideout to capture Annie. As we have little knowledge of what we'll be up against, our strategy in bringing her out mostly relies on Leon's stealth, and Jean's close combat skills." 

"So we're forgetting about how Sasha put him on his ass yesterday?" Connie snickered, only to have Sasha elbow him roughly. 

Marco gave Connie an unamused expression before continuing. "While the three of us are inside of the hideout is also a priority to observe the numbers Annie has alongside her to better prepare ourselves for a second departure team to bring in any of her associates. Now, Annie is extremely dangerous, we know little about her magic meaning that if she casts a spell, it's unlikely it will be reversed. That being said, no one, under any circumstances is to confront her alone in the event of something going wrong." 

"Petra has made a set of magic repelling shackles which should subdue any of Annie's magic, in theory, for a short period. Our goal is to contain her with those shackles and bring her to the designated meetup spot before the spell weakens and the shackles shatter. The hardest part of our assignment will be managing to transfer her over to the more powerful bindings that will be rooted into the wagon." Marco said and glanced to Eld. 

"The bindings have three main components. A strap that wraps around the wrists, ankles, and neck. This will effectively restrict Annie's movement while the seal Petra had placed around the wagon will sap the magic running through her veins." Eld explained easily. 

"Our entire team will be tasked with watching over her during our trip from Trost to the palace. The wagon will not affect anyone here since none of us use magic," Marco explained with a grin. "This job should take no longer than a few hours to finish. That being said, we've got three days, I fully expect you to practice within your squads and get familiar with your teammates." 

"Yes, sir!" The guards responded in unison. 

Marco watched the group disperse into their mini squads before he went to find Leon and Jean. Jean needed a little extra practice, and Leon needed to know just what he would be up against. He walked up to the two with a bright smile.

"Alright you two, I'm placing a lot of faith in the both of you to do a good job," Marco stated. 

"This won't be a problem, I was a thief, I've never had a problem going unseen" Leon rolled his eyes. 

"Dude, aren't you here because you kept getting caught?" Jean snickered.

"Shut it!" Leon gritted his teeth. 

"Guys, you can't fight, I need you to focus," Marco sighed. "Jean, I want you to work with Leon. He's fast, but I think practicing with each other will do you both some good," Marco said, regaining his cheerful composure. 

Jean sighed and rolled his eyes, facing Leon while Marco stood by to observe. He didn't hesitate in making the first move, despite Leon's age, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the young boy nor unappreciated. Jean swung at Leon quickly, and Leon bounced out of the way, landing on his toes behind Jean. He made a move to grab at Jean, but the older man landed his elbow against Leon's ribs, knocking him back. 

"Hold on" Marco cut in, waiting until he had both Jean and Leon's attention before stepping between them. 

"Leon, try to keep a further distance from Jean if you're going to attack him from behind. Jean, you need to straighten up your stance," Marco instructed, placing his hands against Jean's sides and arms as he adjusted him properly. "Jean is an experienced fighter, he may be slower than you, but your movements are predictable. While your fundamental skills are strong, you're lacking in hands-on experience," He said, glancing at Leon. 

Leon nodded, not putting up a fight towards the instruction as Marco half expected he would. 

"Go again," Marco said, stepping back. 

Leon nodded and sprung at Jean, dodging each swing he took at him and yet doing nothing other than dancing just out of his reach. Marco observed with a pleasant grin while Leon waited for Jean to become worn out before striking him against his leg and bringing Jean to his knees. Leon clearly expected the fight to have been won by that point, but Jean waited for Leon to get close enough to land a hit on his stomach, bring the boy down, and gently press against his neck to keep him from getting up. 

Marco laughed at the surprise on Leon's face, but despite having been taken off guard, he still got a good demonstration of Leon's skill. 

"Alright, that's enough. I like your strategy, Leon. You're aware of your own limits, but you use your speed to your advantage. With a little more practice I'm sure you'll be able to fight any experienced guard on the same level" Marco said. 

Leon huffed, and the moment Jean released him, he was on his feet, muttering under his breath. He didn't seem to take defeat well, but Marco was sure it would only push him to try harder. Leon left the two alone, going off to search for his own peers, which Marco didn't interfere with, not really wanting to deal with the child's irritable nature at that moment. 

"I know the kid is a good fighter, but are you sure you want to bring someone so young with the team?" Jean asked once Leon was out of earshot. 

"To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure about it myself, but I trust Mikasa's judgment. She was the one who suggested the idea" Marco hummed. 

Jean sighed and shook his head. "Alright, if all goes well we won't have any sort of struggle, anyways." 

Marco nodded, but the likelihood of them pulling off this job without a hitch was slim. That fact wasn't sitting well with him, but he thought better than to voice his concerns, the more confident he appeared, the more confident his team would be. Instead, Marco intended to prepare his team for the worst and hope for the best. 

~~Trial and Error~~

During their stay at the palace, Erwin was given access to one of the guest rooms, while Armin resided in the room that Eren had spent most of his coma in. It became apparent to Petra that their king was most likely in denial about his mate's condition and convinced he could wake up at any time, given he had yet to be relocated to another room. Given it had been nearly a month since Eren had last been awake, Petra knew it was highly unlikely. Still, she couldn't find it in her heart to break down their king's hope by mentioning that. 

Petra stood beside Armin's bed while Hange sat in a chair and vocalized his vitals and any important details for the omega to record. Armin's condition nearly mirrored Eren's with very few differences. The mating mark that Erwin found on Armin's neck, which wasn't from him, and his increased body temperature were the only actual differences they saw, and the following detail had the pair concerned. 

Eren had exhibited no changes to his physical state during his comatose until the minute he woke. Any marks or injuries he may have taken during his time in the ‘other world' as Petra often put it would not show until he was conscious. This fact suggested that any changes that were caused by the ones controlling the omegas couldn't surface until the two woke, meaning that Armin's fever was more likely linked to how his body was handling the curse and the magic flowing through him.

"Alright, Armin is stable, he still has a fever, but I gave him medicine that should bring his temperature down," Hange said with a pleasant grin. "Hopefully this is nothing more than a common cold." 

"If it's not, we might be in real trouble. We haven't dealt with anything like this with Eren." Petra murmured 

"Don't worry, we'll check on him again in a few more hours, but people do catch colds, so odds are it's as simple as that" Hange replied, "Let's go check on Eren."

Petra sighed, followed her partner out, sparing one last glance at Armin as they left the room. Given the circumstances, she feared that this fever may be something dangerous to ignore.

Eren's state had yet to change outside of the spreading areas of affected skin on his body, ever since they had initially found it spreading, Petra had managed to slow the spread before stopping it entirely, and now it seemed to actually be shrinking. 

"I think while we examine our little prince, we need to touch base again," Hange said with an eager grin. "You haven't told me about your findings in a while." 

Petra closed her eyes, yes, she had made amazing progress in her research but while it had made her excited at first that she was getting close to finding a curse, as she got closer to finding a remedy to the boys' states, it was becoming apparent that Eren and Armin needed to be  _ awake  _ in order to break the curse as they each would have to do it themselves. 

"I've run into a huge problem" Petra muttered quietly as she applied the cream that was behind the recovery of Eren's curse-afflicted skin.

"What is it, what's wrong?" 

"Krista's work is implying that the only way for Armin and Eren to overcome this curse will be to break it themselves, and even she couldn't find the cure before she died. I'm worried that even if we find it, we'll have no way to use our knowledge," Petra said solemnly. 

"Petra, we've come this far, you know we'll figure it out" Hange encouraged. "With everything we've learned over the past few weeks, we're closer to finding our solution than ever" They giggled excitedly. 

Petra frowned and glanced down, not convinced in the slightest. 

"Hey, don't worry, really, we'll figure something out," Hange said, wrapping an arm around Petra comfortingly. 

"Yeah, I just need to focus on waking them up" Petra sighed. 

"Well, it's possible to contact them, yes?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"If Annie's associates can control Eren, that means there must be a way to contact him, we just need to find it." 

Petra pursed her lips and went silent. Hange was absolutely right about that, and if the trigger for awakening was memories, then if Petra were to contact Eren and Armin, she might be able to awaken those memories. She jumped up quickly and pressed a kiss to Hange's cheek. 

"You're a genius! I need to look at my notes, somewhere in there I have to have some kind of clue, some kind of hint as to how I can get across to them" Petra squealed excitedly and ran off. 

Hange blinked in surprise but then began laughing as they followed behind their omega. 

"That's the spirit!" 

~~Trial and Error~~

_ Half a year had passed, a full six months had passed since the day Eren had found out about the disappearance of his boyfriend. Since then it seemed as though Levi had become Eren's support. Mikasa had become a guard, and Eren still got to see her often, he even got visits from his close friend Armin pretty often as well, however, the majority of his day was spent beside the young prince. _

_ Levi had never expected Eren to be happy as he was beside him, and yet a small part of him still feared that Eren would leave him once he was crowned king. He recalled Eren saying he didn't want to leave and it seemed as though their relationship was growing into something more. Still, he was worried about losing the omega.  _

_ The king hadn't planned to step down for a few more years. They were supposed to have more time, and more importantly, Levi wasn't supposed to let himself get so attached to someone who had told him they had planned to leave from the start. His father hadn't planned to step down for a few more years, and yet he was being forced to do so by the end of the year.  _

_ The king had developed a muscle eating disease that would leave him unfit to rule, leaving his son to take the throne in just a matter of months. Levi had yet to discuss his insecurities with Eren, he just couldn't find a way to make them known to the omega. _

_ He lay in the garden against a tree with Eren's head in his lap, gently combing through the boy's hair with his fingers. They were only hours away from the celebration that would take place for his upcoming coronation, and Eren seemed so content with spending their time alone together in the garden while they had the chance.  _

_ "Levi?"  _

_ "Yes?"  _

_ Eren glanced up to Levi with a soft smile. "When you become king, you'll be a lot more busy, right?"  _

_ "Yes, I'll have an entire kingdom to take care of" Levi chuckled.  _

_ "Will you still have time to spend with me like this?"  _

_ "Of course." The question had taken Levi by surprise but filled his chest with a warmth that made him feel as though it were about to burst. "I'll always have time for you." He said with a soft smile.  _

_ Eren sat up, thinking for a moment before he began to speak again. It was clear he had something weighing down on his mind, not too different from how Levi had been lost in his own thoughts lately.  _

_ "Eren, is there something else you wanted to say?" Levi murmured, trying to push Eren gently to open up.  _

_ "I just… I've been thinking" Eren looked down for a moment, pausing as he collected his thoughts before glancing up to meet Levi's gaze. "I want to wear your mark." _

_ Levi nearly choked on his own surprise. As badly as he had wanted Eren as his mate the more he had gotten to know him, he had never expected Eren to return his feelings, especially not after he had found that he had already invested himself in another alpha, missing or not.  _

_ "That's really what you want?" Levi asked  _

_ "More than anything," Eren said, squeezing Levi's hand in his own. "Not yet, I want to make it special, but I want to be yours."  _

_ "Whatever you'd like. I would love to see you wearing my mark," Levi purred.  _

_ Eren leaned over Levi, practically in his lap as he kissed him. Their very first kiss sent sparks flying, feeling so perfect and right, Levi's lips moved fervently against Eren's and what they both lacked in experience they made up for in passion and devotion as they let their instincts take the reins while they delved into each other's embrace  _ .

_ It was then that the idea that Eren would leave him finally faded in Levi's mind. He loved Eren and knew that his fated mate would forever be beside him. _

_ When they pulled apart, both the prince and his mate were breathless, looking at each other with faint smiles.  _

_ "We should be going inside soon, as the heir to the throne, it's important you attend your own party in honor of your upcoming coronation."  _

_ Levi rolled his eyes and stood. "Fine, I'll get my time with you later then," he said, pecking Eren on the cheek before they joined hands and head inside. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this ending to the chapter is a bit abrupt, it was just getting so damn long and the beginning of the next chapter is actually...really intense so it was either end it here or end on a really bad cliff hanger. 
> 
> Anyways, till next time, I'll try not to take so long to post again~ ^^


	4. Stories from the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me like 50 years to get this chapter up... 
> 
> also it's not even trial and error part two! HAAAAAH I suck. in fact this entire chapter pretty much has nothing to do with what was currently happening. 
> 
> This is a set of side stories that were actually really fun to write. as the title implies they all took place before the main story, and they are in chronological order. Also, there's a bit of Marco and Jean smut, and also Petra and Hange because I couldn't help myself. 
> 
> if that's not your cup of tea, I won't be offended if you skip over those portions, you won't miss too much.
> 
> I feel like I should also explain a little more about this au, because the age gaps between all the characters are really weird. Like Eren is the youngest, and Marco is the oldest. I didn't plan it that way, it just kind of happened. so as of present the ages all go like this: 
> 
> Eren- 20   
Armin- 21  
Bertholdt, Mikasa, Sasha, Krista, Annie- 22  
Jean, Levi, Erwin- 24   
Petra- 27   
Hange- 30   
Marco- 31 
> 
> ...I should have probably planned this out more before I started writing but oh well, this is what aus are for. This chapter was the main reason why everyone ended up the ages they did. 
> 
> Anyways, here are the stories that I wrote while stalling for trial and error part 2

Of all of those who had left Shinganshina for the palace, Eren had not been the first. While he had been the one to draw the most attention, one person had left three years before him. Jean was older than his friends from Shinganshina, and similarly to most of the others, he had come from a broken household. He had sought to escape poverty through joining the palace guard so the day he had turned 17, he had left the district without so much as telling his family. He knew they wouldn’t care, in fact, he had just saved himself the irritation of constantly being badgered for money. 

Through pure determination, Jean had excelled in his training. Having only wished to live a comfortable life, and expecting nothing more, if anyone had told him that going to work at the palace would lead to him meeting his future mate he would have called them a fool. He would have only seen it as a distraction, something that would keep him from succeeding.

Despite this way of thinking, the moment Jean met Marco for the first time, the only thing he could think about was how attractive he was. A tall, strong alpha with a handsome freckled face. As soon as Jean’s eyes had fallen onto the elite guard, it was as though he had forgotten his entire purpose for joining the guard in the first place. In no time at all, Jean had developed a deep admiration for the kind-hearted alpha, and a crush to go alongside it. 

Training occupied most of the time of the new recruits in the palace, though many applied, few were accepted into the ranks. Only the top five recruits of each year were given formal positions and for this reason, the first year of practice was incredibly competitive. As a result of this Jean was able to use the guise of training to snag extra time with Marco through private sessions. This was something that Jean knew most other recruits didn’t have at their advantage, although he hadn’t been entirely sure why Marco had agreed to help him.

It killed two birds with one stone, so he didn’t think to question it.

The private training resulted in Jean growing to be the strongest of the trainees in his year, securing him a spot on the guard. There was no doubt that with such a strong alpha tutoring him that he would get into the top five, though he liked to think that even if Marco hadn’t helped him, he still would have succeeded.

In Shinganshina, most of the alphas around Jean’s age were delinquents, he had always expected that he would end up falling for a ‘bad boy’ and instead he found himself falling for a sweet alpha like Marco. As much as Jean had wanted to make a move, Marco was his superior and he was worried that confessing to his attraction would only complicate things, especially if he were to get shot down.

The two had worked together for nearly a year before the alpha had gotten promoted, he became the head of the guards and was given the right to hand-select his lieutenant. Jean, being the most skilled among the trainees, had been chosen. He was proud of himself for reaching such a high-level position in only a year, but if he had thought about the decision, it would have been clear that there were many more seasoned guards that were more eligible. Still, the judgment had gone unquestioned even by their peers, given that Marco had trained Jean himself.

It was like a dream come true that Jean got to work directly beneath the alpha he had started to become so attached to, but that blessing was also a curse in that the closer they got, the harder it was for Jean to behave professionally. 

It was two weeks after the pair had gained their new positions before they had been given a task other than training new recruits. An annual celebration in the capital city was being held, and for extra security, several of the guards were being posted around the streets to keep an eye on things. Given that the guards stationed for the celebration were able to enjoy the event to some extent, it was something that many would volunteer for.

The streets were lit with candles and paper lanterns, filling the usually dark night with beams of light over the festivities. People were dressed up in costumes as they walked through the crowded streets where vendors and performers kept up the lively mood. Marco walked side by side with Jean, weaving through the busy streets with ease. 

This was the first time Jean had been alone with Marco since before he had finished his training. If it weren’t for the mass of people surrounding them, the alpha would have been able to smell his anxiousness within seconds. Jean was doing his best to keep himself well composed, but it was as though his body was intent on betraying his true thoughts.

Other than breaking up a few drunken mishaps, there hadn’t been anything eventful in the way of their job that evening. This gave Marco the chance to pull Jean away from the crowds, something the alpha had seemed eager to do the entire time they had roamed through the streets.

“There’s a coffee shop over this way. We should stop by, we have a long night ahead of us.” Marco said. 

“Ah! No, I’m good, not a big fan of coffee. You can go in, I’ll keep watching over things while I wait for you.” Jean said quickly. The crowd was the only thing that was giving off the impression that he was actually holding himself together, he wasn’t very keen on leaving it.

“Are you sure? I’m sure they’ll have something else you’d like.” Marco pouted. 

Jean was going to open his mouth to respond when Marco continued. 

“It would be a shame if I had to sit alone, won’t you join me?” Marco asked, with a crooked grin far too perfect for him to claim that he wasn’t aware of its influence. 

“I guess, it wouldn’t hurt…” Jean choked out, knowing that his face was heating up against his will. 

Marco hummed contently and led the way to the little shop, while Jean cursed himself for acting like a child. 

The inside of the shop was cozy and quiet in stark contrast to the bustling celebration happening just beyond its walls. The aroma of coffee filled the room, and Marco was delighted to find that they were the only two customers for the moment. He paid for a cup of coffee and a cup of tea, by Jean’s request, and sat at a table with his lieutenant. 

A few minutes of silence passed the pair by before Marco spoke up.

“Jean, are you uncomfortable working beneath me?” He asked simply. 

“What? Of course not, working with you is great!” Jean answered, maybe just a little too quickly. He really couldn’t get a hold of himself.

Marco chuckled in response. 

“Really.” He murmured, tapping his fingers against the table tepidly. “Do you know why I chose you to work under me, or even why I helped you with your training for a year?” he asked. 

“I never really put too much thought into it,” Jean replied honestly. 

“I wanted to see you succeed, and I hoped that I would be able to help you,” Marco said and leaned closer to Jean. “How do you feel about me?” He asked sweetly. 

“What do you mean?” 

“It’s hard not to notice the way you look at me, or how flustered you get when I look at you,” Marco said softly. “So if there’s something you want to say, I would like you to say it” he added with the most sincere and hopeful look in his eyes. Jean thought he truly must have been a fool to miss it. Had he not been so worried about suppressing his feelings, which he had apparently done poorly, then he would have noticed the longing in Marco’s eyes.

A long moment of silence passed. 

Jean knew exactly how he felt about Marco, a year of being beside this alpha, who had no real reason to stay with him had been long enough for him to know that this wasn’t just some little crush.

He wanted to say that, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. 

Marco frowned, a look of clear disappointment on his face, though he tried to cover it up with a smile. 

“Well, if I was wrong, don't worry. I have no intention of pressuring you” He said, and went to stand. 

No, Jean hadn’t expected to have a chance like this, he wouldn’t let it slip away from him like this. He reached out and grabbed Marco’s hand quickly.

“Marco, I think I’m falling in love with you.”

Marco smiled and leaned down to press a soft kiss against Jean’s lips, which he gladly accepted, bringing a hand up to caress the alpha’s cheek.

“Yeah, I think I’ve fallen for you, too.” Marco laughed out. 

“What’s so funny?” 

“You’re cute when you’re nervous,” Marco said. He entwined his fingers with Jean’s and nodded towards the door “We should get back outside.” 

Jean smiled and stood, walking out of the shop, hand in hand with Marco.

~~Stories from the past~~

“Krista!” Petra shrieked, grabbing the woman’s hand and applying pressure to the deep gash. “There’s blood everywhere! You’ll bleed out like this, I need to stop the bleeding.” Petra cried out, reaching for the wrappings from the infirmary shelves.

“No, listen to me, you can do this, use the spell I taught you. I wouldn’t be trusting you with this if I didn’t think you could.” Krista said, calm yet firmly. 

But Petra didn’t work well under pressure like this. It was a weakness that, before meeting Krista, had often interfered with her work.

“What if it doesn’t work?” 

“You won’t know unless you try.”

Petra nodded and took a deep breath. She opened Krista’s shirt and placed her palm over the other girl’s heart just as she had seen her do countless times before. She put all of her focus into her palms and drew all over her power to the center of her hand before she released it in one quick burst.

The impact was enough to make Krista stagger back and wheeze. Her breath had been knocked from her lungs, but the gash in her hand healed immediately.

“Good.” Krista coughed out. “That was a great start, but it was too hard and too fast. If you were to do that to a patient, they would die within seconds” she laughed weakly as she tried to recompose herself.

“Why would you do that? I wasn’t ready, and slicing your own hand open is way too extreme!” Petra scolded. Krista may have been her mentor, but the girl was still young. Even though she trusted Petra, it was undeniably reckless for her to injure herself like that.

“Nonsense, if you weren’t able to heal it, I would have done it myself, but I never doubted you.” Krista giggled. “Get ready, we’re going to do it again.” 

“What?”

“I already told you, if you had done that to one of our patients they would have died. You need to fully master it before you can use this spell to heal others.” Krista said, taking her knife and cutting another deep gash into her palm. 

Petra acted without hesitation this time, she still made the same mistakes, but she was doing her best to listen to Krista’s instructions. Each time they ran through their practice, Petra got a little better and was learning how to control the flow of her power more consciously. 

Krista was a prodigy among sorcerers, she was young, but still far more skilled than many of her more experienced colleagues. When she came to the palace alongside her mate, she began teaching Petra, and while the woman was grateful for the opportunity to work beneath such a capable sorcerer, Krista’s methods of teaching were often… anxiety inducing. 

“There’s blood all over the infirmary!” Petra gasped, looking around the room. 

“It’s alright, we’ll clean it up when we’re finished.” Krista hummed, glancing around. Many of the linens were beyond saving, but a few ruined sheets would be well worth the skills Petra was learning. After all, Krista already knew that with Annie’s plans quickly taking root, she wouldn’t be around very long to continue teaching Petra. 

This detail she kept to herself. 

“Oh my, what has my lovely little assistant been up to to make such a mess?” Hange’s voice rang out as they pranced into the room, settling beside Petra. “You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?” 

“The only one that’s been hurting themselves is Krista!” Petra hissed, looking to the short blonde. 

“We’re almost done for the day, just a few more times, I promise.” Krista insisted. She refused to leave without giving Petra all the information she needed. It was already too late for her to stay without dragging anyone else into this mess. Annie would catch on to being followed sooner or later, and Krista wouldn’t risk making Petra a target as well. 

“You’ve said that before.” Petra sighed but prepared herself. The excessive use of her magic was exhausting. 

“I mean it this time, really,” Krista said and started their practice over again. 

Those who wielded magic were far and few in between, Krista only knew of three other people outside of herself that were capable though she suspected there may have been a few more within the kingdom. Only omegas were known to be born with the ability to use magic, although anyone could learn through years of dedicated training that few ever had the patience for. 

For the most part, magic was a tool of healing, it could be used to help people, and because of that, there was always room for a sorcerer within the palace walls. Annie had been an anomaly, having learned to use her power as a weapon, something that even Krista had yet to fully understand. The only way to combat the magic of a witch was to learn the nature of said witch, something Krista had been intently trying to do ever since she caught on to Annie’s plans. 

Petra was Krista’s best shot at being able to stop Annie in her tracks, but Krista hated how little time she would have to prepare her for the oncoming storm.

Three more trial runs, and Krista could feel her bones aching from the strain that was being put on her body. Only a sorcerer with magic running through their veins could endure as much force as their trials put her under, but even then there were limits. 

“I think we’re done for the night. We’ll continue our practice after a few days. You did really well” Krista said with a soft smile. 

“I hurt you, didn’t I?” Petra frowned. 

“Those last few times were nearly perfect, so it only hurt as much as the procedure naturally would. But look” Krista held up her hand. “Not even a scar was left, even I have trouble with healing wounds so completely like that.” 

Petra beamed at that. It felt like she really was getting the hang of this. 

“Awe, I knew you could do it, darling! You just had to put your mind to it!” Hange squealed and wrapped Petra in a bone-crushing hug.

“Why don’t you get some rest, Petra. I’ll clean up the infirmary, don’t worry about it” Krista said, shooing the couple with her hand. 

“Are you sure? I don’t mind staying to help, really.” Petra insisted. 

“No, it’s fine. I stole you were from Hange for this long and if you stay, they’ll just sit there whining until we’re done anyway” Krista said. 

“She’s not wrong.” Hange shrugged. “Let's go, I’ve missed you all day!” they begged, pulling on Petra’s arm. 

“Well, thank you for the lesson, Krista. I couldn’t have come this far without you!” Petra called out as she was swiftly pulled from the room and down the hall.

“Finally, you’ve been busy all day!” Hange whined.

“Well, Krista insisted we practice, besides, you had your own work to do, didn’t you?” Petra asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Well, yeah. But I found it really hard to focus when I kept thinking about how my head could be in between your thighs” Hange grinned. 

“Hange!” Petra’s faced heated up immediately. “What if someone hears you?” 

“Then they’ll know I’m about to get it on with my lovely girlfriend.”

“What am I going to do with you?” Petra sighed, shaking her head. 

“I don’t know, but I know what I’m going to do with you~” Hange cooed, spinning on their heels and pinning the girl against the door to their room the moment they arrived. Their mouth was against Petra’s in an instant, unwilling to wait any longer to touch the omega. 

“Wait!” Petra gasped out, sliding her hand against Hange’s mouth to push them away. The beta wasn’t deterred, unbuttoning their lover’s shirt and biting at the soft skin of her neck. “H-Hange! Inside, at least get inside first” The woman gasped out.

“Wish granted” Hange laughed, twisting the doorknob. 

Petra shrieked as the door behind her swung open and she fell flat onto her back. Hange crawled on top of her, kisses trailing down from the quickly forming hickies against the omega’s neck down to her beautifully perky breasts. Hange quickly unbuttoned the rest of Petra’s shirt dragged the obstructing garment aside the moment they got it off. 

“Hange, the door’s still open,” Petra complained breathlessly.

Without a word, Hange kicked the door shut with their foot, not wanting to allow any more distractions. A hand found Petra’s boob while lips closed around one pert nipple. The girl drew in a sharp breath, trying to keep her restraint before she fell apart beneath Hange’s touch. 

“The bed.” Petra continued, though her restraint was beginning to slip away.

With an annoyed groan, Hange stood, lifting Petra into their arms and dropping her against the bed. In a matter of seconds, they were hovering over the flustered omega, a grin on their face. 

“Any my requests, darling?” 

“Take me” 

“With pleasure” Hange licked their lips, pressing a kiss against Petra’s stomach. Listening to her lustful plea only spurred the beta on. One hand unclasped Petra’s pants and worked them off while the girl’s hands began to remove Hange’s clothes, successfully pulling their shirt off.

Hange dipped their hand below the thin silky panties Petra wore and chewing their lip as the sound of soft mewls filled the room. It only took one finger circling the omega’s clit to draw out such beautiful sounds. 

Soft kisses were pressed against Petra’s thighs, and with one swift movement, the last garment of clothing was quickly removed from the girl, leaving her bare and open for Hange to feast their eyes off of. 

Just as beautiful as ever. 

They sunk down and licked over the sensitive bud of nerves while two fingers teased Petra’s slick entrance. The beta sucked at the clit and slid their two fingers in easily, curling them just right and making Petra’s thighs tremble around them. 

Petra gripped the sheets beneath her to ground herself as her partner quickly began their ravenous assault on her body. She wrapped her legs around Hange’s back holding onto them tight as their fingers began to spread. Hange’s teeth lightly grazed the clit, making the omega’s hips squirm. 

“Oh god, Hange” Petra gasped out, she knew she wouldn’t last too long like this. She never did when Hange’s skilled tongue worked her over.

Hange flicked the bud with their tongue before pulling back just enough to look up to Petra. “You taste delicious, babe. I’ve been waiting all day just for this~” They cooed and licked at the woman’s hole as they wriggled their fingers, hooking that sweet spot with ease. 

“Look at you, writhing beneath me. You look gorgeous like this.” Hange purred, sitting up to kiss Petra lovingly.

The woman licked at her lover’s lips, tasting herself and shuddering with a wanton moan as the same tongue that had pleased her slid into her mouth. Hange’s fingers relentlessly rubbed her insides and their thumb replaced their tongue expertly. 

Petra whined into Hange’s mouth, pulling the beta tight against her body as she edged closer to her release. Her hips moved into the beta’s hand relentlessly until finally she let out a long, wanton moan and spasmed around Hange’s fingers. She fell lax as her partner rolled over onto the bed beside her, letting out a laugh. 

“I love you darling” They purred, pressing a soft kiss to Petra’s forehead. 

“No way in hell you think we’re done just yet.” She said mischievously, straddling Hange’s hips. “I haven’t paid you back for your generosity just yet” She added, with a sadistic edge.

“Oh god, you’re pissed about the hall thing, aren’t you?” 

“We were right fucking next to the door!” Petra complained. “Besides, I’m not going to just stop before you get off. I think you’ll like what I have planned” She said as she reached over to the nightstand, opening the drawer. 

Hange’s eyes lit up, they knew exactly what was in there, and had to admit that it excited them to see sweet little Petra taking the lead like this. 

The omega pulled a dildo from the drawer which she had modified to function as a strap-on. She had been so embarrassed when she bought it, but it did wonders during her heats. 

Petra secured the strap-on, and swiftly removed Hange’s pants. 

“You were such a tease with me, but look at you, just as wet from pleasuring me.” Petra giggled, running her fingers against Hange’s nether regions. 

“My little omega just looks so sexy when I eat her out, how can I help it?” Hange grinned. 

“And I’m sure I’ll enjoy seeing my beta after a thorough pounding.” Petra hummed, pressing the tip of the strap-on against Hange’s hole and pressing in swiftly. The beta cried out shamelessly loud. 

Petra grabbed Hange’s hips and began a vigorous pace, mesmerized by the lewd expression on her partner’s face as she reached deeper into them than she ever would have been able to with just her fingers. 

Hange talked a big game, but they would fall to pieces beneath Petra whenever she chose to take the initiative. The beta’s hands were on Petra in an instant, pulling her close and biting into her neck. 

“Ah! Careful.” Petra scolded, though with no bite. Hange loved to bite when they had sex, but Petra already knew that they had left marks on her neck that would be a pain to cover the next morning. She wasn’t too pleased with the realization, but when she was alone and no one else could see, she did love looking at Hange’s lovebites. 

One skillfully angled thrust had a muffled moan escaping from Hange, Petra grinned with pride, knowing just how good she was making her beta feel. 

“Petra, there!” Hange gasped, sinking their nails into Petra’s back. The omega bit her lip, but with the thrust of her hips, she had the brunette dragging those nails across her back. Just more marks she could marvel at later. 

Hange was so easy to please, and with just a few more thrusts, the beta finished and fell limp against the bed. 

Petra smiled as she pulled the toy from her lover, only to be pulled down against Hange’s chest the moment she did. 

“I missed you today.” They complained. 

“Yeah, I missed you, too.” Petra sighed, pressing a soft kiss against Hange’s lips. 

It had been a while since they had time to spend like this, and with their fun out of the way, the couple was intent on spending the remainder of the evening wrapped in each other’s arms.

~Stories from the past~

A month had passed since Eren had been taken to the palace, his letters were piling up on the nightstand though Bertholdt couldn’t bring himself to write back. He had read each one over so many times that they were becoming worn. Eren had claimed that he would return once Levi was crowned king, but Bertholdt was doubtful. While fated mates were uncommon outside of the royal bloodline, most people still believed in the legitimacy of a fated pair. The alpha knew that if Eren was the prince’s fated mate that he wouldn’t be able to compete. 

And why should he? 

Being taken to the palace would give Eren the kind of life that Bertholdt knew he could have never given him. He had always felt as though their relationship was doomed from the start, he just never would have suspected things would end like this.

Ever since that day, Bertholdt rarely left home. The rundown house he had once shared with Eren was becoming less and less appealing, but he hadn’t wanted to face their friends as he was. He still got one regular visitor despite how many times he had mentioned wanting to be alone. 

Reiner began hanging around all of a sudden, which in itself was concerning, given that he had been a notorious troublemaker in Shinganshina. It was obvious that he wanted something, but he just wouldn’t come out and say it, instead he just kept taking up space.

“You know, if you don’t write him back, you’re practically giving him up willingly” Reiner stated lazily. He sat strewn across a chair as Bertholdt once again reread the letters. 

“Why are you here?” Bertholdt muttered coldly, having lost any interest in being polite to Reiner after the first time he had found that he had, more or less, broken in. Initially, he had just wanted to avoid a fight, but it was becoming more apparent that Reiner wasn’t a threat so much as he was a nuisance.

“You seemed lonely.” 

“And what is the real reason?” 

“Do I really seem like I have an ulterior motive?”

When Bertholdt did not respond, he just laughed. 

“You got me, but I can’t tell you just yet. I have a friend of mine that has taken an interest in you, she would explain better” He said, sitting up straight.

“Are you trying to hook me up?” Bertholdt scoffed. 

“That’s not what I meant, smartass.” Reiner frowned.

“Anyone I know?” 

“Probably not, but she knows you. She thinks she might even be able to help you.” 

“I’m not interested,” Bertholdt said quickly, whatever Reiner was mixed up in couldn’t have been good.

“You might not be now, but I doubt you will pass up her offer when she talks to you herself.” Reiner shrugged. He had his own reasons for following Annie, but given that she was planning to directly target Eren, Bertholdt would have had a more meaningful reason to follow her. 

“Whatever you say. I would really rather be alone right now.” 

“How about this, if you meet Annie just once, and I'll leave you alone. I won’t come to bother you anymore” Reiner bargained. 

Bertholdt thought it over for a moment, he could hear this woman out and just be done with it. How bad could it be? He just had to grit his teeth and get it over with. 

“Fine, when do you want me to meet her?” 

“Right now, she’s outside” 

“Reiner!” 

“Come on, just ten minutes. I swear”

A growl of irritation came from the tall alpha as he stood to open the door. Before he could even reach for the handle, a short blonde woman was already pushing her way through. 

“Hello, Bertholdt.” She announced as though she was greeting an old friend rather than a stranger. Reiner had mentioned that she was already familiar with him, but Bertholdt still got a feeling of unease by the gesture.

“Annie, I presume?” 

“Yes. I’ll get right to the point. You want that omega, and I need to separate him from the heir. I have a spell that will be able to break any bond those two might have.” Annie stated. 

“Why would I want to get in the way of Eren’s relationship? He deserves to be happy, even if it’s not with me.” 

“Well, I’m going to get rid of him one way or another, I’m offering to give him to you in exchange for your assistance. If you choose not to take me up on my offer I will just have to kill him.” Annie said casually as though she was debating what shirt to wear and not whether or not to kill a person. 

“And you would just let me walk away if I were to turn you down?” 

Annie smiled. “What do you think I would do?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. 

“What is it you are trying to accomplish?” Bertholdt narrowed his eyes. 

“That is a secret. You do not need to know my reasons, you only need to know that I’ll help you get Eren, and all you have to do is keep him away from the king.” 

“Isn’t it better to do this to protect Eren instead of just letting Annie kill you both?” Reiner chimed in.

Bertholdt thought for a moment, he told himself he would only do this to protect Eren but in reality, he wasn’t sure this girl would be capable of killing him. With Reiner beside her, they might be able to kill the alpha, but Eren was safely tucked away inside the palace. 

He could try to fight them off and alert Eren of the threat. If he bolted, he might be able to get away without fighting either of them. 

He did not have to play along. 

And still, he found himself hopeful. If the bond of a fated pair was broken, things could go back to the way they used to be.

“I’ll do it. I’ll help you.” 

~Stories from the past~

The soft warm hues of the setting sun cast a faint glow across the bedroom of a newly mated couple, matching the mellow atmosphere they had brought with them. Things were winding down after a long, tedious day of working and as much as Marco and Jean both loved training new recruits, they would both agree that the process was exhausting. They had chosen to lie on their bed, basking in each other's company.

Marco’s arm was draped gently over the waist of his mate as he nuzzled his face into the side of his neck, sifting the fingers of his free hand through soft, dirty blonde locks. 

"So the prince's fated mate was a friend of yours, did you two grow up together in Shinganshina?" Marco drawled, a lazy edge of fatigue accompanying his words. 

“You could say that. I never expected to see him falling for another alpha. He already had one back in Shinganshina” Jean snorted.

“Well, I doubt you ever expected to fall for anyone when you came here, and yet here we are.” Marco chuckled, peppering soft kisses against the mate mark on Jean’s neck. 

The only noise filling the otherwise silent room was the hushed calls of birds, and rustling leaves coming from the open window that blew a gentle summer breeze through the room. 

Jean let his eyes flutter shut as all thoughts of work drained away, being replaced only by the sound of ambiance along with his beloved mate pressed against his back. Marco’s scent was calming, something that even after their two years together, Jean still found it affected him just as strongly as always.

“Never in a million years would I have ever guessed I would meet someone like you. Joining the guard had so much more in store for me than I would have ever expected” Jean hummed and laced his fingers with Marco’s, turning over to face his alpha. 

"Well, this place can be full of surprises" Marco murmured softly, placing a gentle kiss against Jean's knuckles. While they remained professional for most hours of the day in front of their peers, making sure that their relationship wouldn't interfere with their work, behind these closed doors their doting affections ran free. Jean had never expected to enjoy such sappy expressions, and yet with Marco, it felt intoxicating. 

"I still have one more" Marco added, glancing with expectation into his lover's brown eyes and admiring the flushed red tint that dusted Jean's cheeks. He was prideful of how easily he could fluster his partner with small gestures such as this.

“What’s that?” 

Marco grinned.

“A week off duty.”

A full week away from their work, that was a bit much. It wasn’t as though there was much to do around the palace. 

“What are you expecting we do with an entire week?” Jean raised an eyebrow.

“If I were to tell you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise” Marco teased, placing a kiss against Jean’s forehead. He had been planning a trip for a while now, he wanted to do something special for his mate and he had made sure that every detail had been figured out to ensure that everything would go perfectly. 

Soon enough they would be wrapped up in far more work than usual, and the chance to take time off would pass them by. 

Marco didn’t want to let this opportunity pass.

His family had a cottage near the ocean, on the far end of the kingdom. It was just outside of a busy portside city, and the perfect spot for the couple to go for a vacation. 

"When will you tell me what you have planned then?"

"You'll find out when we leave. Just be ready to leave tomorrow night." Marco beamed.

"We're going somewhere?" Jean asked. Other than the capital, where the palace was located, and Shinganshina, Jean had never really traveled far in the large expanse of the kingdom. 

He had to admit, the thought of going somewhere new with his mate sounded wonderful. 

In the early hours of the morning, a carriage had been prepared. The sun had yet to fully rise, and the air was still crisp with the brisk chill of night that had yet to pass. Marco had taken the initiative of steering the carriage, allowing his drowsy partner to lean against his shoulder. He fell back asleep soon after their departure with a thick quilt sheltering him from the breeze. The morning was serene, and with a few hours ahead before they reached their shoreside retreat, Marco had hoped that Jean might doze through the entire ride. 

By the time the rippling waves of the ocean were in sight, the sun was high in the sky and Jean had woken, settling for relaxing against Marco as he took in the scenery. 

“It won’t be much longer, we’re almost there,” Marco said. 

“How did you manage to plan a trip like this?”

“It was easy. My family owns a cottage out here, it’s a vacation home” Marco grinned.

“Really? That’s amazing!” Jean laughed. Such a luxury was unheard of to the omega, he had never expected to have an opportunity to travel like this, and the fact that it was with Marco made it perfect. 

“I have our whole week planned out, I’m sure you’ll love it,” Marco says. 

“I don’t see how I wouldn’t.” Jean laughed. Marco really was a sweetheart and such a sappy romantic. Maybe that’s why the omega had fallen for him so hard.

Soon enough, the couple arrived at their little retreat. There was still plenty of time left in the day, so after they got settled in they headed for the beach.

The smell of the ocean was so foreign but Jean found it to be oddly entrancing, or maybe it was just the handsome alpha beside him. 

Little did he know that Marco's intentions for their vacation had been to set the perfect scene to finally pop the big question. 

Although they had already been mated, Marco wanted nothing more than to spoil his omega with a beautiful wedding. He had even gotten the ring that had been passed down through his family for generations, a perfect memento to display just how much Jean meant to him. 

The waves were warm and inviting, drawing the couple into the water for the majority of their first day. This cottage had been something Marco often took for granted, but he found that with Jean the experience had become just as exciting as the first time his family had brought him here. 

Their day was spent on the beach, and in the evening Marco conjured a delicious meal for his mate, finding that things were proceeding just as he had planned. 

The entire trip had been planned out. Marco would take Jean to the nearby city, they'd have a romantic walk on the beach, they would make good use of the comfortable bed, and once Jean was completely wrapped up in Marco's charms the alpha would present him with the ring he had been waiting to give to him just before the end of their trip.

Everything would be perfect, or at least that's what Marco had been hoping. 

After a full day spent around the nearby city, Marco had gotten his omega under him nearly the moment they had returned. Jean lay entirely bare against soft sheets, cheeks tinged red from the wine he had with dinner, or maybe from the sensual kisses Marco pressed against his neck and chest. Two years together had been enough time for the alpha to learn just where to touch his omega to unravel him in seconds and drive him mad with pleasure. 

A hand trailed down against Jean’s hip, slipping between his thighs and teasingly pressing against his slick hole. They had only just gotten started, and he was already like this. Hands worked the still fully dressed alpha’s shirt off with fervor, as their owner had found frustration in being the only one undressed.

Soft moans filled the room, but even those went unnoticed by Jean. He pulled Marco up and kissed him, finding the taste of wine to be sweet on his lover's tongue. The warmth that the few glasses they had shared made them both hypersensitive to every bit of skin on skin contact. Jean wrapped his arms around Marco's back, pulling his strong alpha down against his own chest and crying out when Marco's fingers found his prostate. 

The alpha had a bad habit of drawing his foreplay out a little longer than necessary, which always drove Jean insane. He was already well stretched, he had made sure of that even before dinner. It was a detail that Marco hadn't missed.

He smiled against his omega's lips, he had already teased him so much in the past, he had probably hoped that leaving himself prepared for Marco would have saved him such teasing. 

"Such a naughty little thing, so desperate for me that you couldn't wait for me to open you up?" He purred lowly, against Jean's ear. 

That voice drove Jean absolutely crazy, and Marco knew it. 

"I just know that you love to take your sweet time. Thought I'd save you the trouble" Jean groaned out. Marco's fingers brushed his sweet spot again teasingly, making him throw his head back. 

"And miss the chance to watch you fall apart like this? Never" Marco chuckled. "But knowing just how eager you are, you have no idea what it does to me." He said, taking one of Jean's hand and pressing it against his hardening erection through his pants. 

The omega licked his lips, the reminder of just how big Marco is making him that much more impatient. 

"Damn it, Marco, I want you inside of me" Jean growled. 

Marco hummed, pulling his fingers from Jean and grinding against the omega, drawing more delicious moans from his lips. 

"How could I say no to that cute face of yours?" Marco said, undoing his pants and slipping out of them. He pressed into Jean slowly, taking time to appreciate the sounds his lover made, the way Jean tightened around him, his tight hold around the alpha's back slackening as he bottomed out. 

"Oh god, Marco!" Jean cried out, rutting his hips to encourage the alpha to move. He had been made to wait far too long as it was. 

Marco’s hands slid to Jean’s hips, guiding him on and off of the impressive length. He moved in a way that only lightly grazed the spot that would have Jean screaming. It was just enough to tease him, and within seconds he was squirming and whining just as Marco wanted him to. 

Seeing Jean, who was usually so confident and stubborn melting into such a mess with just a few tender touches was an addictive sight.

The pleasure edged the omega on, and each time Marco dragged his hips to meet his thrusts, he was unable to move in his hold to get what he wanted. 

He knew Marco would give him what he wanted, but patience had never been his strong suit. 

Marco drank in the sight of his gorgeous omega, watching as the strength drained from him just as it would during his heat, his scent was nearly just as strong, too. Jean’s arms rest against Marco’s back, weakly holding onto him. The alpha took one of his lover's hands, pressing soft kisses against his palm, and looking down at him with nothing short of desire. This was the only time Jean ever saw the true sexual appetite of an alpha emerge behind those beautiful brown eyes and he loved it, they both saw sides of each other that no one else would ever be able to. 

Marco slipped the hand that held Jean’s hip over his abdomen and applied the slightest amount of pressure and drawing out more delicious sounds from the omega. 

“I can feel myself right here, pressing into you. How does it feel, love?” Marco cooed out. 

“M-Marcooo” Jean gasped out, tears sitting in the corners of his eyes from the stimulation. He looked up at his alpha with an expression that begged to be ravaged, a signal that Marco had done just as he had wanted, leaving no part of Jean’s mind occupied by anything other than the mind-numbing coupling. His omega could barely even form coherent thoughts. 

Marco leaned down against Jean, pressing his nose into the omega’s scent gland and inhaling the sweet aroma of lust that poured freely. He struck the sweet spot within Jean head on and listened to the melodic cries of his name as he spurred them on closer and closer to their release. 

Soon enough, Marco had finished off his omega and only left himself with a few more thrusts before he was pumping him full. 

He didn’t knot Jean, instead, he slipped out and carried his exhausted lover to the bathroom. He filled the tub and settled into it with Jean. The blonde had almost immediately fallen asleep against Marco’s chest when the soothing feeling of warm water enveloped him. 

It felt just as warm as the love they had shown each other. 

Things had been going just as planned. Marco woke holding Jean in his arms, fingers still entwined just as they had been when they had both fallen asleep. He slipped away and dressed so he could start on breakfast before Jean woke, no doubt that after a busy day and intense night expecting that he would sleep in late. It was supposed to be that afternoon when they head back out to the beach that he would give Jean the ring, and they could begin planning their perfect wedding. 

But just one unexpected event led to those hopes being crushed. 

A rapid knock at the door sounded, which in itself had been odd, given that none of the locals had any reason to visit. 

Marco had known something was wrong the moment he opened the door and one of the palace guards was outside. 

The guards would have only been sent to reach him during his vacation if there had been an emergency, and sure enough, Marco had been informed that a witch had taken the life of the sorcerer, Krista.

Any thoughts of his perfect plan had vanished upon hearing of the death of a dear friend.

The trip had been cut short, and Marco had to wake Jean to give him the grim news. Within hours they were heading back to the mourning palace. 

~Stories from the past~

Once the soon to be king finding his mate became known, traditions of their kingdom called for an elaborate celebration where both the royal family and the family of the mate would both be present along with many of the nobles of the kingdom. Since Eren had no living relatives to speak of, Mikasa and Armin were the only two people he invited, and both felt out of place in the lavish ballroom. 

Armin tugged lightly at the high collared dress shirt he wore, the stuffy clothing was pretty uncomfortable but no more uncomfortable than being alone while he was surrounded by so many people. Mikasa had run off to talk with her peers and Eren was still wrapped up with his own obligations, so Armin stood in a sea of people he didn’t know.

People watching wasn’t so terrible, though. Armin watched as people danced and chattered amongst themselves, and although it wasn’t how he would usually choose to spend his time it wasn’t terrible. He had been expecting to spend most of the evening alone unless Eren was able to pull himself away from the guests that were crowding him. That didn’t seem too likely. 

As the blonde’s eyes flitted around the room, something had caught his attention. Across the room was a tall man dressed in a nice suit. The man’s eyes were on Armin, and the omega gasped when he realized he was being watched, immediately turning away and stiffening. No doubt he probably stuck out like a sore thumb, he didn’t behave the same way as the nobles that filled the room despite how hard he was trying to fit in. 

Armin really wished Mikasa would come back. 

He tried to clear his head, a server passed by him with a tray filled with drinks in champagne flutes so the boy grabbed one off quickly and took an impulsive sip. Armin’s face contorted into a look of disgust as the bitter taste of alcohol took him by surprise. He had never once drunk alcohol before but he hadn’t expected it to taste so vile. Behind him he heard a chuckle, he turned around to find the man he had locked eyes with standing directly behind him. 

“I take it you’re not much of a drinker?” He asked with an amused expression, holding his own glass in hand. 

Armin groaned inwardly, all he was doing was making it more obvious that he didn’t belong here. 

“Not really, but this is a party, I figure I may as well have a drink to celebrate,” Armin said far more calmly than he felt, giving a shy smile as he glanced down to his glass. 

“Well, it’s not every day we get to celebrate fated mates finding each other. Something so romantic is definitely worthy of a toast, wouldn’t you agree?” 

Armin nodded. 

“To the prince and his mate, may their union bring our kingdom years of prosperity” The man states, to which Armin clinked their glasses together and took another sip of the repulsive liquid, doing his best to keep a straight face. 

“Did you come with anyone? I haven’t seen anyone beside you this entire time.” The man questioned. 

“No, I came to support Eren, but he’s a bit busy right now” Armin laughs quietly, gesturing over to the teen. 

“Ah, well it’s a shame that a charming omega like yourself is all alone, maybe I could be your escort for the evening” The man smiled softly. 

Was he flirting? There was no way he was flirting, Armin could tell just from first glance that this man was an alpha, but he had clearly seen that Armin didn’t belong here. There was no way that a noble would take an interest in an omega that came from nothing.

“I don’t see why not,” Armin said after a moment of thought, after all, it was better than standing alone all night. “My name is Armin,” He said politely. 

“Erwin” The alpha stated, taking Armin’s hand in his own and placing a gentle kiss against the back. 

Armin’s cheeks heated up, this alpha really was flirting and he had no idea how to respond, but his expression seemed to carry that message across. 

“Just relax, would you like to dance?” Erwin asked, to which Armin nodded and let himself be whisked onto the dancefloor. 

Erwin had entranced Armin, and the idea of romance was such a foreign one to the omega. It wasn’t that Armin hadn’t ever had an interest in meeting anyone, but rather he had never had the opportunity. The omega knew that despite his interest, the moment the celebration ended it was unlikely he would see Erwin again. At least he hadn’t expected he would. 

Armin's heart, along with his feet, felt as though they had been swept away by the strong embrace of the alpha that led him in a dance more suitable for lovers. The way Erwin's hand held Armin at the small of his back, keeping him from falling over didn't go unnoticed by the omega nor was it unappreciated.

"You haven't danced before, have you?" Erwin asked, without a hint of mockery. 

"Is it so obvious?" Armin sighed. He was sure he was doing nothing but making a fool of himself.

"Don't fret about such things, darling, just follow my lead" Erwin chuckled. Armin nodded quickly and began to match each of Erwin's steps, allowing him to take the lead. He found that it wasn't so terrible, in fact it was more fun than he could have ever expected. All things considered, Erwin was quite the dance teacher. 

Armin had spent hours in Erwin’s company between gliding across the dancefloor, taking drinks in between, and talking. They had become so wrapped up in each other that it felt as though they were the only two people in the room. After Armin’s fourth glass of champagne, he began to feel a bit dizzy, and after almost tripping over his own two feet, Erwin started to notice.

“Maybe we should get some fresh air, are you alright?” Erwin asked, taking Armin’s hand into his own and pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles in a comforting gesture. 

“That sounds nice” Armin smiled leaning into Erwin for support and reveling in the tight hold the alpha had around his waist. 

The moment the two stepped out into the crisp cool breeze of the garden, Armin let out a sigh of relief feeling far better than he had in the warm interior. 

“I hope I’ve done well to entertain you, I’m not keeping you from anything, am I?” Erwin chuckled. 

“No, I came here to support Eren, but he’s been busy all night” Armin giggled lightly. 

“You’re a friend of the new prince!” Erwin looked a bit surprised. 

“Well, how else would you expect someone like me to be invited to a party like this?” Armin half-joked. 

“Well, It wasn’t really on my mind when I approached you” Erwin replied. 

“Really, and why did you approach me, if I might ask?” Armin asked, glancing up at Erwin’s blue eyes, he could have really gotten lost in them if he just sat there long enough, he was sure. 

“I noticed you the moment I saw you, I’ll admit I didn’t think anything much, I don’t tend to connect well with those who were raised into this lifestyle from birth but I could tell you were different,” Erwin admitted honestly. 

“I really stuck out, didn’t I? Was it the way I kept messing with my collar, I really hate this shirt” Armin muttered. 

“I find it endearing, really,” Erwin said, entwining their fingers and leading Armin over to a bench where they sat, basking in the warm glow that spilled from the ballroom. The distant chatter could still be heard but for the moment it felt like nothing else mattered outside of the handsome man beside Armin. “I’ve enjoyed being beside you tonight more than I’ve ever enjoyed any of the parties I’ve been obligated to attend. is there a chance that there could be more similar to this?” Erwin asked, his eyes pleading for Armin to agree with an intensity that the omega couldn’t bring himself to deny. It would be a lie to say he didn’t want to see Erwin again, but Armin knew how unlikely it would be. 

“One could only hope,” Armin replied meekly, not meeting Erwin’s gaze but he didn’t have to. Erwin took Armin’s cheek in his hand and pulled him into an unbelievable kiss. Armin had found the taste of champagne to be so terrible out of a glass, but tasting it off of Erwin’s lips turned out to be far more intoxicating than the liquid itself. All of the omega’s worries melted away and he was locked into the moment. 

The two parted with flushed cheeks, partially from the alcohol and partially from the passion that ran between the two. 

“We barely know each other” Armin said hesitantly, but his body acted more honestly, pressing against Erwin and entangling fingers into his neatly styled hair. 

“It feels as though we’ve known each other for a lifetime. I don’t want things to end at this.” Erwin said firmly, recapturing Armin’s lips and holding the smaller by his waist. Armin had somehow managed to end up in Erwin’s lap, pressed flushed against his chest. Erwin’s hands met the bare skin of Armin’s waist as they slipped beneath his shirt. 

“How do I know you’re not just trying to get me in bed and leave me behind?” Armin asked, breaking away once more despite how strongly he was compelled to fall deeper into this trance. Erwin’s expression became exponentially more sober upon hearing Armin. 

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to lead you to believe I would do such a thing. I intended to behave with more restraint but…” Erwin started. 

“It’s alright, I’m finding it hard to resist you as well” Armin finished, and let himself once again be sucked into their own personal little world. 

“It will only cause us both problems if we’re caught out here like this” Erwin murmured softly into Armin’s ear after their passionate affection had finally simmered down into a relaxed embrace. The embers of their encounter ended with Armin's head tucked comfortably against Erwin's neck, while the latter held him comfortably. 

"You're right, the party will be ending soon, we may as well enjoy the rest of it," Armin says with a soft smile. 

"Promise me tonight you won't be telling me goodbye” Erwin demanded, though a hint of desperation could be heard in his voice. 

“Of course I will, the party won’t last forever,” Armin said, trying to avoid the obvious implication. 

“You know what I mean, I want to see you again.” Erwin retorted. 

Armin frowned and took Erwin’s hand. “Focus on the moment, I want to enjoy our time together”

When the night came to a close, it ended just like the dream it felt to be. As Armin expected, he went back to his usual life as though nothing had changed, although there was one change he couldn’t ignore despite his best efforts. 

No matter how hard Armin tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about Erwin. They had only met for one night but just as though he had found his fated mate just as Eren had, he had fallen so deeply for the alpha. 

Armin felt like such a fool for letting himself think he could possibly be in love with someone he had only spent a few hours with but there was no reasoning with his yearning heart. He kept hoping that they might somehow run into each other knowing that living in Shinganshina, there was no chance of him possibly meeting a noble. 

There was no chance of Armin meeting a noble again unless he was close with the now prince Eren, which he was. 

Just a few short weeks after the party celebrating the newly engaged couple that would soon rule the kingdom, Armin had once again been invited to the palace. 

This time it was meant to be a small get together, Eren hadn't been able to spend any time with Armin during the party, so it was nothing more than two friends catching up. 

At least that's what Armin had been lead to believe. 

In all reality, being that his best friend was now engaged to the soon to be king, Armin shouldn’t have found it to be a shock when he ended up spending more time at the palace after that night. 

Eren had invited Armin to stay for a weekend at the palace with himself and Levi to not only catch up but to introduce the blonde to his fiance formally. The trek to the palace took hours, so it was much easier for Armin to just stay for the weekend than to arrange a trip to and from the palace in one day. 

As soon as Armin had arrived, a servant had ushered the boy into a room where Eren sat at a table beside Levi. To his surprise, not only was his best friend in the room but standing beside Eren were two guards, one of which Armin knew well. 

“Jean!” Armin gasped out. He had almost forgotten that his old friend was now working at the palace, it had been years since he had seen him. 

“Hey, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it?” Jean said with his signature cocky grin. 

“It has, how has the palace life been treating you?” Armin asked as he took his seat across from Eren and Levi. 

“Oh, he’s become even more full of himself than he used to be” Eren snorted. 

“What was that?” 

“Jean, please. You can’t fight with the prince” Marco said calmly, placing a hand on his partner’s shoulder. 

“So Armin, I wanted to apologize for not being able to talk with you during the party. If it makes you feel any better, I’d trade you for horseface in a heartbeat” Eren said with a grin. 

“Eren, if Jean chooses to fight you, I’m not stopping him. You won’t learn your lesson, otherwise” Levi sighed, shaking his head.

Armin laughed, it seemed as though nothing had changed. 

“Well, all jokes aside, there was another reason we invited you,” Eren said, the humor fading from his tone. 

“What might that be?” 

“During the party, you seemed to have spent the evening with a friend of mine. He seemed to have taken an interest in you” Levi started. 

“He should be here by now, I wonder what’s taking him so long” Eren cut in. 

“He had asked me about you, and when Eren realized that it was you that he had met, we agreed to invite you two here to meet again.” 

“What?” Armin’s eyes widened. Erwin had really gone through the trouble of searching for him? “I never would have expected him to ask about me.” 

“As if I could have forgotten you after that night” Erwin’s voice rang out. Armin turned to see him standing in the doorway, a calm smile on his face. “Sorry I’m late, I didn’t mean to hold you up.” 

“You’re not, Armin only just got here,” Eren said, waving a hand dismissively. 

Erwin took the seat beside Armin, glancing at him in a way that had reignited the spark that the omega had felt the first night they met. 

“Lovely to see you again, Armin.” 

“Yes, it is,” Armin said, it was all he could say. 

“Eren, we have all weekend to spend with these two, we should give them a moment to talk” Levi suggested, taking his omega’s hand. 

“Alright, alright. We can catch up with them later.” Eren sighed and stood from his seat. “We’ll meet for dinner tonight. See you later~” He called out as he was pulled from the room, the two guards following closely behind. 

Armin should have figured Eren was up to something by the sudden invitation, but he would never have guessed that Erwin had been seeking him out. 

“I have not been able to stop thinking about you since we met. I hope that feeling is mutual.” Erwin murmured, lifting Armin’s hand into his own. 

“Of course it is, but I didn’t think I would see you again after the party” Armin laughed lightly. Maybe he had been wrong to think that things would not work out, it was better to at least see where things went rather than pretending nothing was there. 

“I told you I didn’t want that night to be a one-time thing. This time I have a whole weekend to spend with you.” 

“Confident you can get me to fall for you in one weekend?” Armin teased. 

“Darling, I managed to do that in one night.” 

Erwin had not been wrong about that, the infatuation Armin felt after spending only an evening with the alpha was terrifyingly strong, but more alarming was how just seeing him again had his heart pounding. Even a whole weekend wouldn’t be enough time for the blonde to indulge in. 

Erwin was well acquainted with the palace, he was able to lead Armin through the winding halls effortlessly, which was well appreciated. Armin knew he would have gotten hopelessly lost on his own. The first place he had been lead to within those maze-like walls was the most incredible library he had ever seen. 

“Eren said you love to read, I figured you would enjoy seeing the palace library,” Erwin said as Armin picked his jaw off of the ground. 

“This place is amazing! I could spend hours here.” Armin said. He began looking through the shelves in search of something that would capture his interest. 

“It’s good that we have a whole weekend, then” Erwin hummed, watching over Armin’s shoulder. 

“If I spend the entire weekend reading, I won’t have any time to spend with you” The blonde pouted. 

“As long as I can hold you in my arms, I don’t really care what we’re doing” 

“Are you always this cheesy?” Armin could feel his cheeks heating up. 

“Not usually, although I’ve told you before I have little restraint when it comes to you,” Erwin said, lacing his fingers with Armin’s. The boy smiled and plucked a book from the shelf. The two receded further into the library, finding a comfortable couch to settle on. 

Armin lay back against Erwin’s chest, and upon the alpha’s request, let him read the book aloud. Armin found his voice to be soothing, and laying against Erwin was so comfortable he nearly began to doze off. 

It wasn’t until long after the sun had set that the two had finally pulled themselves away from their resting spot. 

But Armin wasn’t ready to let go of Erwin just yet. 

When the alpha had led Armin back to his room, the blonde had taken his hand before he could say his goodnight. 

“If it’s not any trouble, could you stay with me just a little bit longer?” Armin asked, a light blush dusting his cheeks. 

“As long as you would like” Erwin replied and pressed a soft kiss against the omega’s forehead. 

There was no way Armin was going to be able to let go of Erwin after just one weekend. The two found themselves wrapped up on the soft bed, resting against each other similarly to how they had spent their entire day. 

Armin nestled his face into Erwin’s neck, arms wrapped tightly around the alpha. 

“Don’t you find it at all strange that we are so drawn together after only just meeting?” Armin voiced after a moment, letting his eyes flutter shut. 

“Not really. Those with strong spirits are more likely to have a fated mate. It’s said that just one look is enough to make a fated pair fall in love.” 

“Like love at first sight?” 

“Exactly. I never expected something like that would have applied to me, but as soon as I saw you at that party, I knew it was something I couldn’t miss out on.” Erwin said, idly twirling strands of Armin’s hair between his fingers. “Didn’t you feel anything like that?” 

“I did, but the idea of ‘true love’ just seemed too farfetched to me. It doesn’t seem logical.”

“Maybe it is not logical, but there’s no denying it when the evidence is right in front of your eyes. Wouldn’t it be more illogical to ignore such a sign?” 

“You may have a point about that.” Armin smiled. “But I hardly know anything about you.” 

Erwin rolled over, hovering just above Armin. “That is something I would like to change soon, I want you to come to visit me at my own home. It might just be a selfish desire, but I want to keep you by my side.” 

“I must be equally selfish then,” Armin said, wrapping his arms around Erwin’s neck and pulling him down for a kiss. 

There was no denying that Erwin’s words had been true. Armin could not ignore the feelings he got any time they kissed, even if it was strangely unfamiliar to him.

If Erwin was so willing to keep Armin beside him, then there really was no reason for the omega to deny the magnetic attraction. 

From their on, it seemed the two had become inseparable. Every opportunity they had to visit each other had been taken, and the more they had gotten to know each other and the longer things went on, the more comfortable both felt with their sudden feelings. 

It was only a matter of months before Armin had moved in with Erwin, being the last to finally leave Shinganshina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I just wanted to let everyone know that the reason I haven't been working on this story very much is because I have a few webtoon style comics I've been working on recently, but I decided that if this story gets really popular by the end I'll adapt it into an original comic (as though I don't already have enough on my plate) 
> 
> I'm really attached to the story I'm creating here and the deeper I go into it feels like it might actually hold up if I were to change the characters out for original ones. 
> 
> We'll see, anyways I hope you enjoyed~ I promise not to leave again for so long (probably)


	5. Trial and Error Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOOOH GOOOD I am so tired. I hated working on this chapter. Both trial and error part one and two were extremely boring for me to write. (but I love going back and rereading them both. I just hated editing) Even though editing this chapter was boring, I feel proud about this one because it feels like my writing style is improving. Maybe it's just me, either way please enjoy~

The passing of another day brought closer the vital resolution of the palace’s struggles. All hopes were riding on being able to extract information from Annie on the inner workings of her magic, not to mention crush any chance of her creating more victims.

Even without the curse Eren and Armin had been put under, capturing Annie was necessary. She was a criminal that had run loose in the kingdom and avoided punishment for far too long, and the king fully intended to avenge those who had fallen by her hands. The team that would bring her in was prepared, and with a solid plan intact, things were looking up. Soon that plan would be executed and recovery would soon follow.

On the other hand, the passing days had only led to a massively increased workload for the doctor on top of their usual duties. The extra work mainly stemmed from having an additional patient added to their list of concerns and during the night said patient’s body temperature had continued to rise, now reach a far more alarming height. 

Outside of his fever, Armin’s health had not changed since Hange had begun monitoring him, but Petra was concerned that the spike in temperature was not due to a simple cold. She theorized that this change was, in part, a result of the physical stress the curse was putting his body under. There was no way of telling just how strong the magic was by nature, though with how devastating the effects of the curse itself was, it was easy to assume that it was remarkably intense. 

While Hange had taken to sinking away into the depths of their study, Petra had chosen to monitor Armin for the morning. She did what little she could to relieve the burden on his body through herbal remedies. Since any spell she could have used to strengthen the boy’s body would have only furthered the damage, she had stocked the shelves of his room with a diverse range of healing aids for easy access.

Over the few hours Petra spent beside Armin’s bed working, she rooted through her notes and periodically checked on her patient. She would apply whatever treatments she could and note any changes before returning to her research. Even with the ongoing hunt for Annie, Petra was intent on not giving up the pursuit of a cure in case they could not draw the information out of the woman.

After hours of fruitless investigation, the girl was planning to return to Hange when she first noticed the wheezing. Petra looked up to see a pained expression on Armin’s face accompanied by paleness and an ever so slight blue tint to the boy’s lips. The sound of his breathing, not to mention the look of suffocation was a horrifying discovery. Even more worrisome was that Petra had only looked away for only ten minutes and now Armin looked as though he was on the cusp of death. 

With no hesitation, Petra sprang to her feet and scrambled down the halls. She needed Hange for this, it was not something she could remedy with herbal treatments. Something was terribly wrong and it was out of her field of expertise. 

Bursting through the doors of the otherwise silent study, Petra gasped as she fought to catch her breath. Her urgency had caught the doctor’s attention the moment she came through the door. “Hange!” She sputtered out between huffs. “I need you. Now.” 

“What, what’s wrong?” Hange was on their feet and beside their mate in an instant. Seeing Petra so panicked with that look of terror on her face was alarming, arms wrapped around the girl’s slim waist and pulled her into a protective embrace on instinct. “What has you so worked up?” 

“Something is wrong with Armin! You need to look at him. His fever had gotten worse since last night, but he seemed fine this morning. Now he looks pale and he’s not breathing properly” Petra gushed quickly, shaking her head. “Hange, I think he’s dying!” 

Hange was quick to grab all of her recorded notes on Armin’s health before racing down the halls to the boy’s room. They would need to make sure Armin was stable before trying to find the cause of his ailment. 

“Petra, I need you to find Levi and Erwin. Do not let them in until I say so, but tell them what is going on.” Hange said as they headed into the room. They closed the door without waiting for a response, examining their patient quickly. Just as Petra had said, Armin was taking quick, shallow breaths and his face was pale. It was as though all life was draining from the poor boy, he really did look to be dying. 

In only one night, Armin had developed a terrible fever and was now in this state. Pulling the covers down and opening the boy’s shirt revealed that the cursed portions of his chest were dancing wildly, suggesting that Petra may have been right in the assumption that these complications were linked to the curse. 

Hange placed two fingers against the artery in Armin’s neck, only wasting a few seconds to check his heart rate. 

“Fuck!” They yelled out, Armin had gone from wheezing and gasping to no longer breathing entirely. Hange pinched the omega’s nose and blew a forceful breath of air into his lungs and systematically repeated until the boy sputtered and began to shakily inhale on his own. for a few minutes before a knock at the door sounded. Petra let herself in along with a servant that had the doctor’s equipment in tow. 

“What’s happening to him?” 

“I think he’s having a heart attack. We need to act fast or it will lead to heart failure, he’s still not breathing properly, the poor circulation in his chest is probably suffocating him. I need you to help me open up the arteries in his chest so we can get the blood flowing properly.”

“Hange, I’m not a doctor!” Petra yelped. 

“Maybe not, but I don’t have the means to perform a proper surgery. Petra please, I’ll tell you exactly what to do, I know you can save him.” Hange insisted. 

“If I do something wrong he could die!” Petra said, looking down at Armin. As seconds ticked by, he was only getting worse. 

“If you do nothing he will die.” Hange retorted. Petra knew they were right, Armin would not live much longer, but it did not quell the fear that the woman had. “Take a deep breath. I’m right here with you.” Hange said firmly, pressing a comforting hand to Petra’s cheek. 

They were aware of the pressure Petra was under, but also confident in their own skills to instruct the girl. They had no choice if they wanted to save their patient. 

Petra nodded and tried to still her shaking hands. 

“Alright, alright. Tell me what to do.” 

The doctor’s nimble hands made a deep incision above Armin’s heart, opening the boy’s chest up to allow the sorcerer closer access to the artery to reduce the risk of her magic spreading. Magic was the cause of the attack to begin with; if Petra was not precise with her aim or was to use more force than necessary, there was no doubt that Armin’s heart would fail. 

“Oh my god.” Petra shuddered. She had to force herself not to gag when she looked down. Blood was not something she handled well, though Hange remained unshaken. 

“Careful. Focus only on your spell.” They said, their voice steadily guiding the omega. “I need you to open up this artery here. You have a spell that will work, right?” 

“I think so, but I’ve only ever used it to help prevent heart attacks, not to treat one,” Petra said. She tried to clear her mind of anything other than her objective. She had to focus her energy to a balanced level that would not injure her already delicate patient.

With a deep breath and a perfect aim, Petra released that energy and let her spell take effect. Almost immediately, Armin’s heart rate began to regulate as his circulation improved. 

Though the spell had successfully stabilized Armin’s heart rate, even the low level of energy Petra had exerted into his body with impeccable skill was enough to further his breathing struggles. She turned from the boy to her shelf of medicinal herbs, plucking a jar from the carefully organized rack and emptying it into a small dish. She lit a match and burned the leaves, carefully holding the dish beneath Armin’s nose to ensure he inhaled the fumes. 

“This will help his respiratory issues, but we need to monitor his heart rate.” Petra stated. 

“I knew you could do it, babe” Hange cooed as the stress of the situation finally simmered. They began stitching the incision they had created, doing their best to avoid any unnecessary blood loss. 

From start to finish while the pair worked, and a servant stood terrified in the corner, thirty minutes passed. Thirty minutes of Hange working with their partner to not only stabilize Armin but to ensure he would stay that way those thirty minutes had caused permanent damage to this young boy’s body all because of the damn curse that tormented him. 

All that was left was to see to Armin’s recovery but the long term consequences of the complication would not be able to be managed until after the boy woke. Petra could potentially alleviate the damage to some extent, but as things were, it would be far too risky. 

“We need to check on Eren, but for now we should explain the situation to Erwin and the king.” Hange said. 

Petra nodded, setting the dish aside as the embers cooled, and went to open the door. To no surprise Erwin was the first to rush in, kneeling beside his lover’s bed and taking the boy’s hand into his own. Levi followed closely behind, only the slightest bit calmer than Armin’s anxious alpha. 

“What happened, will he be ok?” Erwin’s tone was calm, but the sullen expression displayed his concern clearly. 

“He had a heart attack. He’s fine for now, but after having one he will be more susceptible to another. Someone will need to monitor him at all times in case another issue arises. We got lucky, had Petra not already been observing him, he would have died.” Hange explained. 

“Oh my god” Erwin bowed his head, running his hands through his hair. He had already been worried sick, and now to find out that Armin could very well be dying… 

“How is that possible, Armin is far too young to have a heart attack, isn’t he?” Levi cut in. 

“I’ll admit that it is extremely uncommon for his age, but I have no doubt that this was caused by the magic straining his body,” Hange said. 

“He already has a weak heart but I never expected that he would have issues like this so young,” Erwin admitted. It was obvious that he was shaken, having almost lost his mate, anyone would be. Still, Hange respected how well Erwin was able to put up a calm front and hold himself together, or at least he could far more than they ever would have had they almost lost Petra. 

“I guess that explains why we have not run into anything like this with Eren. Despite that, I think it would be wise to have someone watching him when you’re not present.” Hange said, glancing to the king who nodded in response. “Going forward I will be giving Armin supplements to thin his blood and hopefully prevent any more issues. For now, I think it would be wise to check on Eren.” 

“Hange, thank you,” Erwin said sincerely. The beta nodded with a smile and left to check on their other patient. The entire ordeal had them on edge, things had only just started to get a little better and now they were facing another problem as Armin developed new health issues. 

The looming fear that another issue was just around the corner was present, but Hange could only hope they would be prepared when it did. 

~Trial and Error~

When the time finally came for Marco’s team to set out, it was late in the afternoon. The plan was to arrive by nightfall and catch Annie off guard, they would have her before she even knew what hit. Marco saw to it that Gunther, Eld, and Oulo were prepared and had already set out with the wagon before he prepared his own squad and Mikasa’s to depart. They would travel on foot, meaning it would take them a few hours to reach the district but if all went well they would be back long before the sun rose and Annie’s followers would be none the wiser. 

After Mikasa’s squad left, Marco was the only one remaining with Jean and Leon. The knight was confident in his team and fully prepared in spite of the circumstances. With everyone so pressed for time, there was no room for error, it was imperative that everything went according to plan. If things went wrong there was the chance that they would lose very capable guards, and that was something Marco refused to let happen. 

The streets of Trost were all but barren by the time the trio passed through. The busy district was winding down from a long day of lively productivity as the evening calm and while their day ended, the assignment of the palace guards was only just beginning. The night was cool and the serene quiet of the area was disturbed only by the sounds of rustling leaves and the occasional district guard strolling through the streets. Just as expected, the small numbers attracted little attention, though, with most of the residents already tucked inside, there was no one to pay them any mind. Regardless, the group blended in with the district guards easily as they passed through to the edge of the Trost. 

Eld’s squad would be already stationed at the start of the district, the moment Annie was brought they would assist in her containment. They were the three most experienced members of the palace guard, and Marco trusted them with the witch’s handling to ensure that she would not escape or injure any of the team.

Just at the threshold of the district, there was a supposedly abandoned building that had gone untouched for years. The building was considered unsafe after it had fallen into disrepair, though according to their information, this is where Annie would be found. 

The witch had chosen a perfect location. The building was out of the public eye, safely hidden by the surrounding woods which ensured that no one from Trost would catch on to her activities and she was free to do as she pleased. While it did mean that Annie could not be seen by the nearby residents, it also meant that none of her followers would be able to see the elite team coming. The element of surprise was a necessary aspect of their plan, one which they could not afford to lose if they wished to return without sustaining any losses. Even with the skill each guard possessed, they were still in what was mostly unknown territory and Marco was unwilling to take any unnecessary risks.

At first glance, the outside of the building appeared to be unoccupied, but Marco expected that a lookout would be stationed. He glanced to the trees where Mikasa was perched with her squad, Connie and Sasha were exceptional sharpshooters and could easily take out a sentry, however, their squad leader signaled that they saw no one and gave the approval to press on. 

That was the first red flag. It was hardly believable that such a formidable opponent would leave her guard down. the squad advanced with caution. 

The plan was to slip in through a window at the back of the building where they would attract little attention and with Mikasa and Ymir both ready to intervene if Marco was discovered, a rising issue was unlikely. The two seasoned guards were credited for exceptional stealth and were both lethal forces in their own rights, in addition, they had Connie and Sasha backing them, any possible witnesses would be taken out without fail. 

With their newcomer being an ex-criminal, breaking in and slipping inside without a single sound was child’s play. Leon performed seamlessly when he gained the trio entry through the window. 

Although it was also very concerning that a boy, no older than 15, was capable of such a thing.

Once inside the building, Marco found the room they came through to be empty. He was thankful since it meant that they would not have to start off their hunt with the killing of an unrelated bystander. Marco drew his dagger, preparing himself to mercilessly take on any adversary at a moments notice and his companions followed suit.

He gestured for Jean and Leon to split up and the three crept further into the inhospitable darkness, showing no reluctance to carry out their task. The air was still, and not a noise could be heard outside the creaking of settling of floors. The squad made no disturbances to that hushed environment as they stalked through the rooms in search of their target. 

The atmosphere was tense, though Jean and Leon trusted their leader’s guidance. Neither would willingly admit it, but they were both on edge with the risk of being caught looming over their heads. While Mikasa’s squad was ready to attack at any given point, they still had little knowledge of what they were truly up against. 

The silence was a reassuring sign that they had not given themselves away, but they all knew better than to let their guards down in enemy territory. 

Each room uncovered nothing but vacancy, leading no closer to finding Annie, but also bringing to light the idea that she may not have nearly as many followers as expected. This had been the thought in mind until the entire first floor was found to be empty.

Marco’s suspicion was raised further. The structure was not all that large, and yet they only found a cluttered mess in place of even Annie’s followers at the very least. Proceeding to the second floor reaped no better gain and even more unsettling was the clear signs of recent dwellers throughout the building. As of now, it seemed as if they had already moved on.

  
The entire building had been searched in a matter of minutes and the grim reality of the situation became painfully clear. Upon regrouping, Jean and Leon looked to Marco for instruction.

“We are too late. It seems as though Annie has relocated.” Marco murmured quietly, as though not to break the surrounding silence. 

“Do you think she caught on to our scouts learning her location?” Jean questioned.

“Most likely. At the very least we should search the building for any clues to her whereabouts.” 

“Don’t you think that she would have covered her tracks had she expected that she was being followed? Leon asked, and for once it seemed as though the usually unruly boy was not intent on antagonizing with his comment, a rarity from him. No one had expected that he would become such a cooperative part of their team. While he still seemed to be less than thrilled with the others, he at least did his job properly and as Mikasa had said he was skilled at it, too.

“Yes, I do, but anything would be better than returning empty-handed.” Marco sighed. “Leon, go find Mikasa and tell her what is going on” 

Leon wordlessly obeyed the order, running off and leaving Jean and Marco alone. 

“That kid is far more useful than I would have ever expected for someone with such little training,” Jean muttered idly before turning to his mate. “I’ll search the second floor.” 

Marco nodded and proceeded through the rooms on the first floor. There was little left behind, and most rooms only held the dirt and cobwebs expected of an old building, but in what looked to be an old study there was one thing that stood out. After searching through so many empty rooms to no avail, the knight’s expectations had been rather low, but there lay a book that lacked the dusty surface that seemed uniform for the baren rooms. On the desk, it was neatly placed at the center as though someone had expected it to be found. 

Opening the book revealed neatly written words that depicted a vibrant story, but it seemed to be nothing more than a fictitious story. Marco’s interest had already dwindled by the time he heard approaching footsteps and glanced back to the door to see Ymir standing in the frame. 

“So this trip was a bust, eh?” 

“Yes, I’m sorry, Ymir,” Marco said sincerely. Of all the guards involved, she had been the one with the most sentiment involved in Annie’s capture.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s not like anyone is just going to give up. We still need to find that witch, and we will.” Ymir said confidently, though Marco could still see the disappointment hidden in her eyes. “What is it you have there?” She asked, nodding to the book in Marco’s hand. 

“I had hoped that this might have something useful in it, but it looks to be nothing more than fairytales.” Marco sighed, handing the book over to the woman. Ymir flipped through the pages with a puzzled expression. 

“This looks identical to Krista’s old journals, even down to the handwriting” She stated. 

“How are you so sure?” 

“I’ve read those journals a thousand times. This is definitely one of them.” Ymir said, meeting the knight’s gaze. 

“How is it possible that Annie would have gotten her hands on this?” Marco raised an eyebrow. 

“The bitch must have taken it when she killed Krista, but to think that she would leave it behind like this. Maybe it is a stroke of good luck.” 

“You think so?” 

“Look at it this way, Annie killed Krista because she knew too much. If this holds any of the information Krista discovered just before her death then it could hold a secret that Annie was desperate to keep. Petra may be able to use this.” Ymir smirked, tucking the book away into her satchel. She would be sure to deliver it to the girl as soon as possible. 

Ymir would want to be the first to know of any findings, especially if it led to more information about her girlfriend’s death as it still remained mostly a mystery. To her knowledge, Annie would not have been able to decipher Krista’s work, so it was likely that the answers she had been wanting for years might be within her grasp.

“Sir, the building is empty, and there’s nothing but junk in the rooms. We should head back.” Leon announced from the doorway. 

“That is fine. We may have stumbled upon something big.” Marco said with a grin. 

“Really, because this seemed to just be a huge waste of time.” Leon snorted. It seemed as though his patience with the situation had begun to run thin.

“We are right back where we started, what are we supposed to do? We have no idea where Annie could have gone” Jean growled from the hall. 

“Listen, we will just have to figure that out after we return. For now, we need to tell Eld and his squad what happened.” 

Jean and Leon nodded, following Marco out as they prepared to depart once again.

The plan to find and capture Annie had failed, but they managed to find what they hoped to be another piece of the puzzle pertaining to her magic. Even while they had not found their target, they had gained what might be a major advantage. 

All that was left was to retrieve Eld’s squad and return to the palace. Hopefully, they would be able to find Annie’s new location soon; no one was looking forward to informing the king of Annie’s relocation. 

~Trial and Error~

After the elite team had been dispatched, all there was left to do was sit and wait. Well, that was not entirely true, there was plenty of work to be done, however for Petra it was difficult to focus. She both felt ecstatic with thoughts of their troubles being brought to an end and an overwhelming worry for the team that had been sent out. On one hand, the girl had complete faith in their guards but on the other, Annie was a powerful witch whom they still knew little about. The mixture of excitement and anxiety was a bit sickening.

Even with how hard it was to force herself to focus, there were duties that Petra could not simply shirk off for an entire day. She had spent a good majority of her evening rotating between the library, her study, and both of her patients’ rooms. While Armin was still struggling and had a fever, he had at the very least not gotten any worse since the previous day. In contrast, Eren seemed to be doing better than ever. In fact, the magic that resided within his body seemed weaker than it had been during all of his conscious periods. Still, everything could change in an instant, so Petra made sure to monitor them both closely.

The girl had taken to the library for a few hours, immersing herself into the depths of all of her notes and records she had taken both from her own observations and from Krista. Petra could easily figure out the reasoning for Armin’s declining health. It was common sense for a sorcerer to figure that with how poorly magic affected the human body in large amounts, that extended exposure such as what Armin was being forced to endure, would have a catastrophic impact on his health.

This ideology was concrete yet there was something that blatantly opposed it.

Eren had been cursed long before Armin, his amount of exposure had been far larger by this point, and even though it was true that all people had their own individual tolerances, it would be a lie to say that Eren was not a special case. Not only was his health showing no signs of deterioration, but he even seemed to be recovering against all odds. Petra needed to discover an explanation for such a thing. The only theory she had was too absurd for her to dignify with any consideration, and yet it was the only one she could think of that would explain the boy’s health. 

It was also the only one she found evidence to support.

The notes Petra had combed through incessantly proved to be of no use in the girl's search, though she had not expected they would be. Contrarily, the raw records Krista had written along with Petra’s own documentation of Eren’s health disclosed the truth of the matter that the woman had missed entirely until this point. 

Krista had known exactly why Annie had chosen to target Eren with this form of magic, the witch was perfectly aware that the boy’s body could handle the pressure, for what was suggested, several years if necessary. This had been a detail that Petra had initially overlooked, mainly because stipulation for such a life expectancy did not seem to apply to Eren. 

However, it seemed as though Krista had come to the same conclusion that Petra was beginning to catch wind of. Eren was supposed to be the only target. 

This not only revealed exactly why Eren had been capable of surviving so long while Armin suffered, but it also revealed that Armin had not originally been involved in Annie’s plans. Somehow he had gotten dragged into this mess, and now it was slowly killing him. 

Annie was not one to act impulsively or leave traces, so Petra could not think of a single reason why Armin would have so suddenly been subjected to the witch’s curse. The woman rubbed her temples with a sigh. She was exhausted and even with such an amazing breakthrough, she had been left with just as many questions as before. 

There was a silver lining she could not ignore. Krista’s journals had handed over the key to communication with her curse victims; if Annie was unwilling to hand over the information they needed, then Petra would just have to figure things out from the inside. 

The girl sprang to her feet with this realization and was out the door in seconds. This discovery was one that she would want her partner to hear about immediately. The news was both relieving and terrifying since it meant that they had less time to break the curse on Armin than they did Eren, but if Petra could contact the boys she might be able to save both of them before it became an issue.

It would take time for her to figure out an exact way to invade the horrid reality Annie had locked them in, however, Petra had gone from being completely in the dark to having a torch to guide her.

When Hange could not be found in their lab or study, Petra assumed them to be examining one of their two patients. With Armin in the state he was in, she chose to check his room first and to her glee, her partner stood just outside of the boy’s room. 

“Hange!” Petra called out with a wide grin. “I’m so glad I found you, you will never guess what I just discovered!” 

“Petra?” 

“So I was rereading my notes, and when I looked at the original journals, I realized I missed something. Something big! It explains why Armin is struggling right now, and-” Petra stopped, realizing that Hange had not turned to look at her. In fact, they did not seem to be paying attention at all as they gazed in through the open door. 

“Is everything alright?” 

“We need to find Levi and Erwin,” Hange said firmly. 

“Why, what happened?” Petra asked, stepping closer to look in through the door. 

“He’s gone. Armin is gone.” 

Just as Hange said, the boy’s bed was bare and the window open. The servant that was supposed to be monitoring him was nowhere in sight as if proof that the boy had not woken and wandered off on his own. Petra was able to piece things together in seconds. She still could not comprehend Annie’s motives, but it was clear that this would be her doing. 

All she knew was that if Annie was aware of the boy’s condition, which she was without a doubt, then it meant that she still needed him. Not to mention that had Annie been here, then it meant there was no way their team of guards would be successful in her capture.

“Let’s go. They need to know, now.” Petra croaked out, Hange took their hand and squeezed it. The expression on their face betraying the fact that even they were having a hard time finding a way to keep calm in this situation. 

~Trial and Error~

“I don’t understand why she would take him” Erwin started, holding his head in his hands. Since the moment he found that Armin was gone he had been unable to pull himself together. His eyes stung from crying so much, even before Armin had gone missing his concern for the omega was enough to keep him awake at night. As things were now it felt as if he had already lost Armin. 

The moment the news came in, Erwin was beside the king. he was the only person Erwin was comfortable with speaking to in his current state, and that only came from their years of friendship. The two were tucked away in Levi’s room since he had ceased to trust anyone other than himself to monitor his mate’s health when he discovered the servant watching Armin had also gone missing.

“She could not have gotten far, Petra said that it had only been an hour between the time she had last checked on Armin and the time Hange discovered him missing,” Levi muttered, glancing down at his still unconscious mate. He hated to be so selfish in worrying so much about Eren that he would not leave his side, but after finding out that there had been one spy, he refused to take chances. At least Erwin seemed to understand.

While there was a chance that Armin’s kidnapping was independent of their situation with Annie, it was highly unlikely. Though it might have sounded harsh to say, there would be nothing to gain from kidnapping Armin outside of possibly using him for ransom, however no one was such an idiot that they would target the omega of a noble within the palace when there were plenty in the neighboring districts that would be far easier to reach without such a stupidly dangerous risk. If someone were going to pull such a stunt it was more likely that they would have gone after Levi or Eren. Someone directly tied to the throne. 

This had to be Annie, and with that in mind, Levi knew exactly what his elite team would tell him upon their return. Given that it had already been several hours since the team had left, Levi expected them to return at any minute. 

Just as the king had that thought, Marco rushed through the door of the room with Jean hot on his tail. 

Perfect timing

“Sir!” 

“Marco, I take it you have already heard about what has happened?”

“Yes, sir.” 

“Well, then you will not be surprised to hear that I am already aware that you did not return with Annie.” Levi started, stringing his fingers through his hair. “That bitch played us, but I will not let her get away with it.” 

“What would you have me do?” 

“Follow her, find where she has taken Armin. Once we know where she is we will go from there, but we need to lay low for the moment.” Levi huffed out. “You will leave immediately”

Marco glanced from Levi to Erwin sitting in the corner. While he had no intention of disobeying an order from the king, he still wished to hear the man’s thoughts. As if the man understood, he spoke.

“If Annie had wanted Armin dead, she would have killed him where he lay and left, it would have been far easier to pull off than kidnapping him. Whatever reason she wanted him, she needs him alive. Your main focus should be on finding her location.” Erwin said, meeting Marco’s gaze. Though the man was clearly finding it hard to compose himself, he made a valid point that erased any hesitation Marco would have had.

“Without the element of surprise on our side, Annie has the upper hand. I do not want you to confront her unless absolutely necessary.” Levi added. “Keep your numbers small, focus on stealth.” 

“Yes, sir.” Marco nodded, and suddenly he wished he had not let Jean follow him into the room. They both knew the conversation that would follow, and both knew it would not be pleasant. 

The king waved a hand to dismiss the two guards who swiftly turned and stepped into the halls. The door closing behind them left them both in silence and without waiting to hear what kind of argument Jean would come up with, Marco was already walking down the hall. 

“Marco, wait!” 

“Jean, you already know what I’m going to say.” Marco sighed. He also already knew his answer

“I’m going with you!” 

“No.”

“I was not asking. There’s no way in hell you can expect me to stay behind while you risk your life like this!” Jean argued. 

“Do you doubt my skill? I’m perfectly capable of carrying out this mission without being caught” Marco retorted. 

“We were already played once!” Jean burst out, grabbing Marco’s wrist and making him stop. “Do you really think that Annie would have pulled a stunt like this and not expect to be followed?” 

“We have no choice, we have no other leads and pretty soon the trail will run cold,” Marco said

“Marco, look at me,” Jean demanded. When the knight did not listen, Jean stepped around him and took his face in his hands. “If you go, she will kill you.” 

“You don’t know that, and if I let you go, you will not listen to me if I tell you to retreat.” Marco started, placing a hand over Jean’s “If I were to give the order for you to return with Annie’s true whereabouts if she found us, would you be capable of doing so even if it meant leaving me behind?” He asked, his tone far more serious than what suited him. 

Jean could not answer that, but he did not have to. They both knew what he would say. Even if he had tried to lie, it would not have changed Marco’s answer.

Even if he was capable of abandoning his mate, Marco still would not have let Jean put himself in danger. 

“I will not let Annie get away from us again, nor will I let her take the lives of any more of my companions, let alone my mate.” Marco continued, wrapping an arm around Jean’s waist and pulling the omega against his chest. “If we are discovered I need to know that the two people I bring will turn back without a second thought if I command it.” 

“Promise me that if it comes down to it, you won’t try to take her in alive,” Jean begged. Annie was strong, but still, he had full confidence that in a one on one fight she would fall in an instant if Marco wished to kill her. 

“I have no intention of trying to bring her in, but I also will not ruin our chances of extracting information from her,” Marco said, pressing his face against the top of Jean’s head. Even at a time like this, when Jean was so distressed, having his omega in his arms like this was comforting, he just hated that he was the source of Jean’s anguish. Marco prayed that this would not be the last time he would hold his lover.

“Marco.” Jean held onto his mate tightly, his alpha may have seemed confident in his plan, but the small numbers were so dangerous in itself. At least in their earlier expedition, had they found Annie and made any mistakes, they would have had a total of seven guards on site for damage control.

“Don’t worry so much, I’ll be fine. Really, your lack of faith is becoming a bit insulting” Marco laughed weakly. 

“Who do you plan to bring with you?” Jean demanded, ignoring Marco’s poor attempt at relieving the tense mood.

“Mikasa and Ymir,” Marco said. The two were the most suitable for the job, and the alpha trusted that his odds of success were far higher with those two beside him.

“You better not get caught,” Jean muttered, his wavering tone giving away his tears. 

“I won’t. I’ll be back soon enough” Marco said, lifting Jean’s chin and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. He wiped Jean’s tears, hoping his reassurance was not in vain. The knight refused to let his mate catch wind of the fact that he was doubtful he would succeed. Jean would never let him leave if he were to realize that he was not as confident as he sounded.

It was difficult to peel themselves away from each other, but Marco needed to find Ymir and Mikasa and leave as quickly as possible. The couple parted reluctantly, and Marco let Jean trail him while he informed the girls of his decision. Just as the knight had expected, the two girls agreed to help him along with also agreeing to his terms, though neither could say it was not without a heavy heart.

  
Marco set out with Mikasa and Ymir less than an hour later, leaving behind his stressed mate, but focusing only on the task ahead. If he wanted to return alive then there was no room for any mistakes, he had to make sure they went entirely undetected. On the other hand, Jean was lost in his own world, already hurting for the impending danger and possible death of his mate. He refused to sit by helplessly and just wait. His mind had been made up the moment he and Marco had been forced to part. 

Within his shared room, Jean was already preparing to set out on his own. He was making sure he would be prepared for anything so in addition to his usual equipment like his uniform, dagger, and sword, he had packed a satchel with the basic first aid equipment that he had been trained to use in the field. 

It did not skip Jean’s mind that Marco would be furious if he learned that he had disobeyed a direct order, but the idea that he might be able to protect his mate outweighed any fear of consequences. Jean planned to follow at a distance to cut his chances of being caught, and he would only interfere if his mate were endangered. In this case, if Marco truly did not run into any trouble, he would be able to return and hopefully without being discovered.

There was also an added bonus to Jean’s plan. Annie might have been expecting a team to be sent after her, but Jean highly doubted that the woman would anticipate a headstrong omega following the guards that followed her. He would have the upper hand in that area.

Everything was just about in place, and Jean had been double checking to make sure he had not missed anything he might need when a knock sounded. Jean cursed under his breath and covered his satchel with a blanket before going to answer the door reluctantly. If anyone were to discover his intentions before he was gone, then it was likely that he would be stopped. To his relief, he only found Leon outside.

“What are you doing here?” 

“I heard Marco has already left,” Leon answered simply. 

“That does not answer my question,” Jean said, rather unamused. He did not feel like putting up with the kid’s immature antics when he could be leaving.

“That woman knew everything we had planned, so there is no doubt that she is prepared to be followed. I doubt she will let anyone get away with revealing her location. If those three go off on their own, they will likely all die.” Leon continued, the apathy in his voice irritating Jean to the core.

“Are you here just to antagonize me, because now really isn’t the time.” Jean spat. 

“No.” 

“Then what do you want?” 

“Do you think I’m too stupid to know what you’re planning? I do not believe you would agree to stay behind without planning to follow them.” Leon snorted with a roll of his eyes.

“So what, you intend to stop me? That’s not going to happen.” Jean was already determined to follow his mate, even if it meant he might be put in danger. He was unwilling to accept Marco’s decision, and he was not about to let a child stop him.

“No, I wanted to help you,” Leon said with a grin. 

That took Jean by surprise, that sure as hell was not what he had been expecting.

~Trial and Error~

In the heart of the palace, Petra had hidden herself away in her study with her door locked. While she would usually be willing to at least let Hange check in on her during her research sessions, this time was entirely different. Ymir had passed on the journal that had been found during their search for Annie before she left with Marco and Mikasa, giving strict instructions to be careful about who this knowledge spread to. This was something Petra fully intended to abide by after the events of the day.

Petra trusted Hange more than anyone else, but for the moment she was paranoid about letting anyone else overhear the sensitive information. The idea that there may be another spy among them was not far from her mind. She would fill Hange in on her discoveries later, but she was intent on uncovering anything and everything that she could from Krista’s work first. Petra had initially been skeptical to believe that Annie would have left such a vital bit of information behind, but it was also possible that she had not discovered what Krista’s journals meant.

The journal was easily deciphered bit by bit, with little time wasted. The information held within not only proved Petra’s theories beyond a doubt but unlocked the essential information needed to bring Annie to her knees. This was why Annie had killed Krista, the very information that led to the legendary sorcerer’s death was held within this one journal. 

One thing was not adding up within the journal, something that made Petra a bit confused. The dates that were mentioned within the book were not lining up. In fact, it left the sorcerer thinking she might not have translated the notes properly but the more she thought about it the more she was certain that there were no mistakes. 

There was one undeniable thing that this journal revealed, and it only led to the idea that Annie knew nothing of its very existence, or she would have destroyed it the moment she found it. Petra was ready to start delving into her forming idea of how to contact Eren through the curse when she heard an impatient knocking at the door. 

“Petra! Come out here, we need to go check on Eren.” Hange called out loudly, their voice was laced with excitement that seemed so out of place given the mood of the beta just a few hours earlier. 

“What is it, what happened?” Petra asked as she stood and opened the door. 

“Eren’s curse has receded down to practically nothing! He might awaken soon.” Hange squealed. 

Petra’s eyes widened. While she now understood just how Eren could be in such a state, she was hesitant to believe this would be such a simple turn of events. Regardless, she would not voice her suspicions until she saw for herself.

The couple head to the king’s room immediately to find him, along with Erwin, just as they had been since learning of Armin’s disappearance. 

Levi was on his feet as soon as he saw the sorcerer. 

“Petra, Eren has-”

“I know, Hange already filled me in. Just let me take a look at him.” Petra said, walking over to the brunette’s side and pulling away the sheets that covered him. Opening his shirt revealed that what Hange had said was right, Eren seemed as though his curse was in recession again. 

“When do you think he will wake?” Levi asked. 

“I’m sorry to tell you this but I’m not sure if he will,” Petra said, being sure to check all of Eren’s vitals. He was showing no signs of a struggle, however, the magic that dwelled within his body would not so easily disperse if he were to fight it. 

“What do you mean, he has done it before,” Hange said. 

“Yes, but that was not linked to the physical magic affecting him. He woke because he had somehow regained his memories in the reality he is trapped inside.” Petra explained. “But right now his body is trying to fight off the magic inside of him, and I can guarantee he will not be able to win such a fight.” 

“Well, then what does that mean?” Levi asked. 

“It means that his immunity to the curse might begin to fail,” Petra said after a moment of thought. 

“Immunity?” Hange raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes, he has a higher tolerance to it than Armin did. That’s why he is still showing no signs of illness.” Petra said simply. As much as she would like to tell Hange the full truth of her findings, she figured that it was better to speak to them in private about it before informing the king. 

“Do you think Annie is aware of there difference?” Erwin voice, glancing at Petra with a puzzled expression. 

The woman smiled, Erwin had always been sharp, so she had no doubt he was beginning to think the same thoughts she had. 

“I do. I would love to share more, but for now, all I have are theories. I will share my thoughts on the matter as soon as I have something more solid. For now, just continue to monitor Eren. it is possible that he may wake up soon” Petra explained, though she left out that it would not be without several complications first. 

“Of course, I will send someone for you if there are any changes,” Levi stated. 

With that, Petra left with Hange walking beside her. She had more work to do but for the moment she needed rest. The day had been so draining, and it seemed like her partner felt the same way. 

~Trial and Error~

The layout of the palace was important to take into account when one thought of how Annie would have had to make her escape. The capital city surrounded it on all sides except for the west which led into a dense forest. Logically speaking, this would be the only direction that would have made sense for an escape with an unconscious person. Moving through the city would have attracted attention, and nearby district guards would have been able to report the woman if they did not follow her themselves. 

With this thought in mind, Marco led Mikasa and Ymir out into the forest. He had expected a woman as calculated and patient as Annie to leave little behind to follow, and yet Marco found a fresh trail leading the way. Even had the woman not been so obvious, he still would have found her, but as it was he was worried about what this trail meant. It was almost as if Annie was freely inviting them to follow her, verifying the idea that they would have a difficult time going undetected.

With such an overt trail left behind, an ambush was anticipated, but it was far too important that they discover Annie’s whereabouts for them to turn back. Ymir and Mikasa made no fuss, indicating they felt the same. They were willing to put their trust in the knight and if it came down to it they knew their goal was to bring back any information they uncovered, no matter the cost. They just had to make sure they got far enough to discover that information. 

As stealth was an important part of the expedition, the three guards moved without a sound. Their steps were muted and if they had been stalking an unexpecting foe, they would not be capable of being seen.

Following the trail led them all southwest, only about an hour’s travel from the palace on foot. It was shocking to know that Annie was so much closer than they had initially thought but it also would be to their advantage just as much as it was a threat. It was the early hours of the morning and the sun had still yet to rise by the time they came across a dingy shack that looked too small to hold the minimum amount of followers anyone would have expected from Annie. 

This came as a surprise, yet Annie might have had her followers spread out. Regardless, if their guards kept an eye on this area, they would soon be able to take the woman into custody. 

They did not get too close to the building, for fear of being spotted, however, the could see the blonde inside the building through the window. It was enough to confirm that they had found exactly what they need. This thought was fleeting, the moment Marco had ordered Mikasa and Ymir to turn back, a short blonde woman popped out of nowhere in front of the three. She grabbed Marco by the neck and forced him against a tree with far more strength than a woman of her build looked capable of. 

“Hello, Marco,” Annie said calmly with an intense stare that sent chills down the man’s spine. “You know, following a lady around at this hour is rather suspicious.” 

“You’re not the first person to tell me that.” Marco laughed. “But if said lady had broken into the palace, I think my intentions would be easily understood.” He said waving his hand to Mikasa and Ymir. The two took off without hesitation, leaving Marco alone with the witch. 

He was skeptical to believe that There was no one around to back Annie up, but as things stood now, no one had come from the building and he had not seen anyone lingering in the area. 

Annie’s eyes flickered to the retreating guards and then back to Marco. 

“Such a nuisance. I’ll deal with them as soon as I’m finished with you.” she sighed, lifting her free hand to Marco’s chest. She had intended to send a pulse through the knight that would have left him in agonizing pain, but Marco shirked her grip and drew his rapier instantly. 

“Do not overestimate yourself. You had only had me pinned because I had not seen you coming. That will not happen again.” Marco stated, swiftly slashing his rapier at the woman, successfully forcing her back. 

“You already know you can’t win against a witch. Why else would you have sent your companions back?” The woman asked, a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. 

Marco did not respond, instead he lunged for Annie, thrusting his sword in a way that would have surely left the woman fatally injured had she not dodged it. Just as he had expected, she leapt to the side and with the swing of his blade, he caught Annie’s face on the edge and embedded a nasty cut into her cheek.

The woman growled, all Marco was doing was annoying her and she did not seem to realize that it was intentional. An unfocused or frustrated opponent was likely to make more mistakes or let their guard down.

Just as predicted, Annie had left herself open. It was only for a second, but the window was the perfect opportunity for Marco to take aim at the girl’s shoulder. With a lung, the thin yet sturdy blade of his rapier pierced the witch’s flesh and pinned her to the tree behind her. Marco would not kill Annie, even if he had to give up his own life, though he would not wish to if he could avoid it. He only wanted to impair the girl enough that she could not give chase when he retreated along with his teammates. This was easier said than done, but he still had Annie on the defense. 

The knight’s free hand swept below his cloak, revealing a dagger which he pressed to Annie’s neck. 

“It would be in your best interest to quit now,” Marco stated coldly. 

“You and I both know you need me alive. That is where I have the advantage.” Annie smirked, raising her hand to Marco's face. The knight screamed in agony as a searing pain burned beneath The woman’s palm. It had been foolish for him to get so close to Annie without restraining her arms, but with little experience against witches, it was not an easy task to predict the woman’s attacks. 

Annie took the moment to land her foot against Marco’s stomach, making him stumble back and dislodge the blade from her shoulder. Her arm wouldn’t move properly, which would limit the strength of her spells, however, she was far from beaten. Annie pulled a dagger from her side and lunged at Marco, aiming for a weak spot in his armor and landing a deep gash against his shoulder. 

While Marco was a far more skilled fighter, having formal experience; Annie’s hand to hand combat was adept in addition to her strong magic, making her a foe that could not be taken lightly if one were to survive an encounter. The moment she had an opening, her hand was pressed against Marco’s chest, her magic easily seeped through the man’s armor and sent a current of pain through his entire body. The strain that the magic put Marco’s body under would have his energy draining quickly, he couldn’t let things continue on for much longer or else he would be unable to make the trip back.

The knight had fallen to his knees, but he used his blade to hoist himself back onto his feet and swept at Annie’s legs. She tumbled to the ground and Marco was back on her with his dagger in hand.

"I have no intention of dying here." Marco hissed out, embedding his dagger into the woman's side. It wasn't enough to kill her, but enough to injure her badly enough that she would have to retreat. 

Or so he thought. 

Annie gritted her teeth through the pain, and with a flick of her wrist, she returned the blow tenfold. A blade of magic as strong as steel found its way right below the man's navel. Marco howled in pain, with no means of fighting against the magic, he was incapable of stopping Annie from twisting the blade. A nasty wound was left that would need to be dealt with immediately, otherwise, Marco would bleed out. 

The man instinctively had his dagger deep in Annie's shoulder, sinking into the pressure point of her muscle. Marco was deaf to the cries of the woman; he instantly cursed himself for acting without thought. A stab wound like that could kill Annie in a matter of minutes. He didn't have much time to think this over, as the woman shot a wave of energy through her palm, throwing Marco a good three meters back against another tree. The knights head slammed against the bark with enough force that it left him feeling lightheaded and nauseous. 

Annie was on her feet in seconds. She could barely move her right arm and her left was completely incapacitated with Marco's dagger still buried into her shoulder. She knew the state she was in; she would only have a few minutes before she would succumb to blood loss but it would only take seconds to finish Marco off. That would be one less thing to worry about later.

The knight could barely move. He couldn’t even pull himself to his feet as his vision failed him and his head spun; he was unable to determine which way was up. The moment Marco tried to stand he fell to his knees and collapsed against the cold hard ground. 

Annie looked on to the fallen knight. She carefully pulled his dagger from her shoulder as she stalked towards the man on unsteady legs. She fell to her knees beside Marco, looming over him with the dagger pressed against his neck. 

Marco winced, already anticipating his death when Annie screeched. Opening his eyes, he still could not see properly, but his blurred vision was at least enough to let him see Annie collapsing. 

“Get the hell out of here. You and I both know you won’t win this fight as you are now.” Jean hissed out venomously. Marco’s eyes widened in recognition of the man’s voice, it stuck out plain as day. His focus was waning, but the thought of how his mate should not have been beside him did not elude his mind.

An arrow stuck out of Annie’s arm, Leon had shot her the instant she had pressed that dagger to Marco’s neck. He gave a sly grin while the woman glared daggers at him and without a word she turned on her heels and retreated.

Having Annie one the run was just what they needed, but the ambitious boy was not willing to quit just yet. He moved to follow the woman before Jean stopped him in his tracks. 

“Leon, get over here!” Jean demanded in a way that made it clear he would not accept defiance. Just because Annie was in no position to fight did not mean Leon might not be attacked by her followers if he were to pursue her. They had no time to spare as they could be followed at any moment. 

“Jean, what are you doing here?” Marco asked, wincing in pain as he moved to sit up. 

“Don’t move around!” Jean pushed his mate back down. “Leon, I need your help, we need to stop the bleeding.” 

“I got it.” 

“You were supposed to stay at the palace!” Marco burst out, though the bite in his voice was curbed by his agony. 

“Would you shut the hell up? If We had not followed you, you would be dead right now!” Jean yelled back. The wavering in his tone only delivered his message with an extra edge. 

Marco could not argue. Maybe Jean had disobeyed his order, but if his distressed scent was anything to go off of, his omega felt as though he had almost been abandoned. 

“I’m sorry.” Marco murmured, closing his eyes and letting his mate, along with Leon, bandage his wounds quickly. 

Annie’s wounds had been far more severe so they could at least rest assured that they would not be followed at least until she had received attention. She was capable of healing her own wounds, but given she lacked the skill of a sorcerer that devoted their life to healing, it would be a rough process. 

“We need to get out of here. Marco won’t hold out forever like this.” Jean said quietly as he pulled his mate onto his back. 

“Right. Lead the way.” Leon nodded. 

~Trial and Error~

Mikasa and Ymir returning without Marco had been a devastating matter. It was hard for Levi to be happy with the knowledge of Annie’s whereabouts when he had lost a guard that had worked at the palace since he was a child. The news was not sitting well with him and it only made the burning desire to see Annie fall much more potent. At the same time that desire also inspired guilt, Marco had rushed in to find the woman and died because of his command.

The king had finally retired to his bed, though sleep evaded him. His mind was far too conflicted to let him succumb to sleep, but he at the very least rest beside his mate. If he did not sleep, then it also meant he was alert to monitor his partner. 

A knock at the door disrupted the king as he delved into his own thoughts, though after hearing what the guard sent to retrieve him had to say, he could not say he was too bothered.

“What happened, how did he return?” 

“Jean and Leon went to find him. They apparently got to him before Annie could kill him.” Petra explained. 

“Will he be alright?” Levi demanded. 

“Yes, Hange seemed confident that he would be alright. They just need to stitch up the injuries he sustained.” Petra answered with a soft smile. 

“And Jean?” 

“He wouldn’t leave Marco’s side. I sent Leon to rest, I figured that we’ll address the issue with those two once Marco awakens.” Petra said and looked back at the door. “I’ll tell you more as soon as I talk with Hange, but for now I need to help them.”

Levi nodded and let Petra rejoin her partner.

The sun had already begun to rise when Marco had been discovered to be alive, but it was not until late in the morning that Hange had finished stitching each of his injuries. The wounded guard had slept through the bulk of the beta’s procedures, while his anxious mate stayed beside him. 

Normally, Hange would have kicked everyone out while they worked, however, they could not bring themself to after seeing the state Jean was in. He was destroyed by the night's events, Marco was still alive but he could have so easily been killed. Not only could Annie have killed him had she not been stopped when she was, but if he had gone much longer without treatment, he would have died from blood loss. 

Petra worked to alleviate the pain, but her focus was mostly on undoing any damage that Annie’s magic had done. This was not an easy task since she could not very well fight fire with fire. Despite this, Petra had picked up a few techniques while she had rooted through her notes, a few of which aided her greatly.

After each of the wounds had been properly cleaned, stitched, and dressed; Marco had begun to stir, first noticing the excruciating pain that radiated over his entire body. 

“Marco?” Jean called out. He was beside his mate the moment he saw him shifting. 

“Where am I?” Marco muttered out, bringing a hand to his head as he sat up. 

“You’re in the infirmary. You were hurt pretty badly so try not to move around too much; we’ll be in a lot of trouble if you reopen your wounds.” Hange said strictly. 

Marco went silent as he thought. The previous night was not immediately surfaced as he fought to think through the haze of his throbbing headache. Retracing the evening events, he remembered failing to capture Annie, he remembered returning and finding Armin missing, and lastly, he remembered the fight.

Everything clicked into place. He fought Annie. He fought Annie and he had nearly lost. 

“Jean?” Marco turned to his mate quickly, looking over him quickly. He sighed in relief once he found the blonde to be lacking any injuries. 

“You idiot, you shouldn’t be worried about me in a time like this.” Jean laughed bitterly. 

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. You must have been worried.” 

“Worried is a gross understatement. This was nothing short of torture!” Jean said quickly, shooting to his feet and turning for the door. Now that he knew Marco was safe, he was fully intent on being pissed at him. 

“Jean, wait!” Marco’s hand shot out to grab Jean’s wrist before he could get too far. 

Petra and Hange exchanged a glance before laughing nervously. 

“You two probably have a lot you need to discuss,” Petra said sweetly. 

“And we missed out on a lot of sleep because of you so we’ll leave you to it,” Hange added before making a hasty exit with Petra. 

It was clear that the conversation these two would have was not one for an audience, nor would it wait for an empty room. 

Jean said nothing, just looked away from his mate. 

“I’m sorry,” Marco said, squeezing Jean’s hand. 

“You already said that earlier.” 

“I meant it.” 

Jean narrowed his eyes and glanced back to Marco. “Would you do this again if you were asked?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then how are you sorry?” Jean snapped, already anticipating Marco’s answer. 

“I’m only sorry that I almost left you behind, I’m not sorry about my decision to have you stay at the palace.” Marco murmured, though he knew it was not what his mate wanted to hear. “The only reason I cannot bring myself to be upset with you for following me is because of what I put you through.” 

Jean pursed his lips and turned away again. Marco wrapped an arm around the omega’s waist and pulled him to sit beside him on the cot. 

“We’re supposed to be a team. You can’t just try to do everything on your own.” Jean stated more calmly after a few minutes of silence.

This time, Marco had been left speechless. Jean was right about that, maybe they would have both been at risk had he allowed Jean to come with him, but he could not restrict his mate because of his own fears. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Stop saying that.” Jean groaned in irritation. 

“I mean it,” Marco said, pressing a soft kiss to Jean’s neck. “You’re right. Both in our professional and personal lives, we are partners.” 

Jean looked back to his alpha a bit shocked. He had meant what he said, but he did not think that Marco would listen so easily. 

“So next time?” 

“I will consider this next time. I don’t want to fight with you right now.” 

“And you think I do?” Jean rolled his eyes. The only thing he really wanted to do was wrap his arms around Marco, but with his injuries it was a bit too risky. Instead, he settled for the soft kiss Marco placed against his lips. 

“...So, Leon, eh?” Marco questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

“Listen, I did not want to bring him. He just didn’t give me a choice. He threatened to rat me out if I made him stay behind.” Jean huffed. 

“He’s a good kid. Stubborn and naive, but he helped you” 

“He was the one who shot Annie before she could slit your throat,” Jean said. “I’m not sure I could have done it without him.”

Marco smiled and leaned his face into Jean’s neck. His pain was easily ignored as long as he could hold his mate like this, not to mention Jean’s mood was finally improving. 

The previous day had been so tumultuous, that even with what would likely be weeks of recovery ahead, things were beginning to look up again. They had found Annie’s location, finally managed to beat her at her own game, and best of all there had been no lives lost. 

This was, of course, assuming that Armin was still safe; no one could bring themselves to acknowledge the fact that he could be dead by now. 

Moving forward, Annie would be watched carefully. A plan would not be set in motion until Marco recovered, but their strategy would be set during the time it took the knight to heal. 

~Trial and Error~  
With the witch’s most recent location having been revealed, the guards were anxious to reenact their plans to capture her. More importantly, this time around their plans would not only include arresting Annie but also recovering Armin. The only issue was that the knight who would lead the rescue was still recovering from his near-death experience. 

Weeks passed as Marco recovered and although it gave him plenty of time to come up with a new strategy alongside the king, he was beginning to become restless. The more time passed, the more antsy everyone became.

Everyone handled the extra time differently. For example, Marco was incredibly impatient with his own recovery. He was not a fan of having to sit still for so long when their problems still had not been resolved. Despite Hange’s instructions that he was to stay in bed at all times, he had been found wandering off on multiple occasions after the first week. As soon as the man was capable of standing without agonizing pain, he was out and about. 

The only person who seemed to have any influence on Marco when it came to his recovery was Jean, this was mostly because the omega still had not entirely forgiven his mate for nearly dying. 

On another end of the palace, Petra was still making progress with her research that would have seemed unthinkable even a month or two prior. Most of her days were spent locked away in her studies where even Hange could not reach her. As badly as Petra wanted to share the information she had discovered with her partner, Krista’s journals made it obvious that the ignorance of those around them was the safest way to ensure that there would be no disruptions in her plans. Petra sorely wished that Krista was still beside her to explain just what this all meant; the vague and oddly cryptic messages left by Krista still managed to be an exceptional guide even if they did not reveal as much as the girl would have liked.

With the new knowledge at her disposal, monitoring Eren became easier than ever. Petra watched for any signs of change in his health but after a week had passed since the recession of his curse marks, it became doubtful that there was anything significant to take from the change.

This had not managed to kill the hope that the king had for his mate’s recovery. If anything had yet to change, it was that Levi still trusted no servant with his mate since Armin’s disappearance. He sat beside Eren at almost every hour of the day in addition to having at least one guard posted outside of the room. Erwin still spent the majority of his days beside the king, also keeping himself up to date with every detail of the developing plans. 

They had waited so long to resolve these problems and finally, the solutions were just around the corner. It was only a matter of time before the guards would be sent out to find Annie again. 

“Are you certain that we will be able to catch the witch off guard?” Erwin questioned. The two alphas found themselves talking about the strategy developed for the guards often, and with how well Annie had been able to track their movements before, Erwin was skeptical to believe that they had finally been able to gain any real leverage. 

“Well, I doubt she has left herself open, but these plans have only been released to the guards involved. I will not risk disclosing this information to anyone not involved.” Levi stated, “In fact, Hange and Petra have even been instructed to conceal Marco’s recovery status.” 

“How is he doing now?” 

“Well, we are expecting that Hange will give us the approval to set our plans in motion within the next few days, actually,” Levi smirked. “Our objective is still to take Annie into custody, but more importantly we still need to recover Armin. I’m not sure why she had taken him so suddenly, but her silence is unsettling.” 

“I agree, whatever she wanted him for, she has not made it known.” Erwin frowned. 

“She has not revealed her motivations for any of this,” Levi added. 

“Did you somehow cross her in the past?” 

“I don’t believe so. I didn’t even know who she was until she killed Krista.” 

It was still a mystery, indeed. No one knew just why Annie was hellbent on targeting Eren and Armin, especially when she was making no moves to extort anything from anyone. She was a meticulous person and did not seem to mind waiting through any length of time to make sure her plans were carried out to her liking. 

Maybe that was what made her so dangerous, more than anything else. 

Levi had been so deeply enveloped in his reflection that he had almost missed the sound from behind him. Luckily for him, Erwin was sharp as ever and had caught it in an instant. 

“What was that?”

“Hmm?” 

“Eren, I think he just moved,” Erwin said, standing from his seat. 

This caught Levi’s attention instantly, he looked to the brunette and inspected him carefully. A soft groan escaped Eren’s lips as though he was beginning to wake but his eyes never opened. 

Not only did Eren not wake, but he began to gasp terrifyingly loud. The marks that had shrunk down to the size of his palm rapidly began to expand over his skin as though fighting to gain control. 

It was hard for Levi to pull his eyes away from his mate, but it was clear that his hopes of seeing Eren wake were in vain. He rushed to the door, pulling it open and was brought face to face with Mikasa, the guard that had been standing in for Jean and Marco. 

“Mikasa, find Hange and Petra!” Levi called out.

The woman had been standing just beyond the walls of the room in case of an event such as this; she did not waste time asking questions before taking off down the hall. 

Returning to Eren’s side only showed the boy to be in a gradually worsening state, his face was gaining a terrifying blue tint and the fact that he was not breathing was becoming apparent. 

Just as Armin had, Eren’s body was beginning to collapse beneath the weight of the curse. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I'm not sorry. While editing this chapter was boring as hell, I looooooved the plot line for it. Things are just starting to get good, like really good. Marco and Petra got to take the spotlight a lot during these two chapters and they're really fun to write for in this story (even though its pretty ooc, oh well, it's still fun) anyways! Let me know what you thought about this chapter! I've been wanting to get it posted for so long and now that it's finally up I feel super accomplished!


	6. Happy Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I suck, like seriously suck. 
> 
> Don't hate me! Writer's block just hit me like a train! 
> 
> Ok this chapter was really difficult to write and it's weird af but I really love how it turned out. I do need to warn that there are sensitive themes in this chapter, I really don't want to spoil anything so I'm leaving it at that.
> 
> I did my best to kinda explain this chapter a little, but if it's confusing then GOOD. it's kinda supposed to be. 
> 
> Anyways, I wrote this chapter about 4 different times and the fifth draft I was FINALLY happy with. only one scene made it through from the first draft to the last, but honestly I was thinking from such a boring point of view with the first few drafts. 
> 
> Please enjoy~

A finger delicately traced the rim of an ornate glass full of red wine. Through half-lidded eyes, Eren looked at the blonde sitting across the couch from him. The warmth of mild intoxication filled his chest, and though he saw the blonde’s lips moving, it was as though he was submerged underwater and trying to listen to a voice coming from above the surface. 

Regardless of the buzz that had him feeling like he was floating, Eren was determined to press through his drunken haze in getting down to the bottom of this.

This face was so familiar, but Eren could not firmly grasp why. He knew he had lost his memories, but this boy had been introduced to him as if it was their first time meeting. Even if Eren could not pin down just how he knew the omega sitting across from him, there was no doubt about it, they were no strangers to each other. Just as he had been led to believe by the last inkling of his lost memories he had picked up, there was someone around him that simply did not want him to uncover his past.

“Eren?” Armin’s voice rang out, finally realizing that the brunette was not paying attention. 

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” Eren asked, redoubling his effort to focus on Armin.

“I was saying that I had been looking forward to meeting you.” Armin laughed quietly, but Eren could smell the underlying concern in his scent. 

“Yes, this is our first time meeting?” Eren asked, a smile lighting up his delicate face though it was one that did not reach his eyes. 

“Correct…” Armin started, an edge of uncertainty tainted his words. “Are you feeling unwell, maybe you have had a glass too many?” He suggested, and rather than any ridicule accompanying his words it seemed Armin only wished to sort out Eren’s odd behavior, leading Eren’s grin to widen. 

“I’m sorry, this may sound a little odd, but are you sure we have not met before?” Eren asked softly, taking Armin completely by surprise.

“Of course not!” Armin laughed. “I’ve heard you had lost your memories, but I can assure you that I would have remembered meeting you if we ever had.” 

Eren nodded silently and took a sip from his glass. Armin was a good actor, that was true enough, however with how close they were sitting there was no mistaking the scent that had pierced through his concern. 

Fear. 

Eren’s question had scared Armin, and he was not entirely sure why, but he intended to find out. He thought it likely that Armin’s sudden fidgeting was an easy tell to his lie. Before Eren could open his mouth to question Armin again, the blonde was on his feet.

“I should probably go find my husband, I think we’re running low on appetizers, and I wouldn’t be a very good host if I didn’t check to see if we have anymore,” Armin said, standing from the couch and easily slipping through the crowd of guests with ease. 

With Armin gone, Eren was left to listen to the incessant chatter of the other guests, wishing that he could just find a quiet place to sit and think. The past week had brought forth a plethora of information, but with each little detail Eren uncovered, he only brought to light more questions. 

~Happy Ending~  
Several weeks before the party...

The past several weeks had wrought hellish ailment on Armin and for the majority of that time, he had been confined to his bed. The pains of his sickness had worn him down so much that he could hardly bring himself to move. 

Just as his body was, his head was a mess as he tried to sort through what was fact and what was fiction and Reiner’s behavior was not helping. Ever since Armin had fallen ill, he did not doubt that the ‘medicine’ being given to him was nothing more than his mate’s attempt to rid him of his memories once again. 

But Armin had caught on. 

Armin refused the medicine, instead, he pretended to take what was offered to him and dumping it in the potted plant beside his bed the moment Reiner was out of sight. This method had its drawbacks and the most obvious was that in refusing what Reiner gave him, Armin was also refusing the remedy to his sickness which he was certain was mixed in that vile liquid. 

Armin was given the choice, recover his health and lose his memories, or fight this sickness on his own and grow closer to freeing himself from his hellish prison. He knew where he was now, he knew that if he didn’t wake up he would die, with or without the medicine, but this fever was shortening the already little time he had. 

Though Armin grew closer to waking with every day that passed, things were still looking bleak. Eren had forgotten everything once again (he had overheard Reiner speaking about this with Bertholdt), and every day his condition would only worsen. Armin would die before leaving his friend behind to be brainwashed, but unfortunately it seemed as though that might actually become a reality. 

There would be no giving up, even with how pitiful the chances for a happy ending were looking, Armin would be damned if he was gonna go down without a fight. 

“Armin.” Reiner’s voice rang out, stone cold. He usually only spoke to Armin that was after finding out he had once again managed to throw a wrench into whatever diabolical plan he and Bertholdt had. It broke the facade of their happy marriage, and Armin had to wonder if he had been found out again. Just in case, he played dumb.

“What is it? You’re home from work early, aren’t you?” Armin asked, smiling sweetly like the loving husband he pretended to be. 

“You haven’t gotten any better in weeks, I have to double the medicine I give you.” Reiner ignored Armin's question. His voice held a sense of finality that left no room for discussion.

Well, that would make sense, Reiner would expect Armin to put up a fight since he would often go on about how vile the medicine tasted to further convince Reiner that he actually drank it. 

“I don’t want to take any more of it! It’s hard to choke down what you already give me.” Armin complained, throwing in a little pout for good measures. 

“I know, I know, but damn it you can’t even stand anymore. If you don’t start getting better soon…” Reiner sighed and shook his head. “I mixed it into your food this time, you shouldn’t have a problem with it this way.” 

Fuck. 

“Alright”

“Here, I know my cooking isn’t the best, but you’re more likely to taste charred food than medicine in this,” Reiner said, clearly trying to make light of the situation. He sat a tray with a delicious looking meal on Armin’s lap.

Armin nodded and picked up his fork. He looked down into the chicken, potatoes, and green beans and swallowed a lump in his throat. What would Reiner have hidden the medicine in? Maybe the mashed potatoes or was it the sauce that covered his chicken? It didn’t matter, Reiner was firmly planted in the chair beside him, and it was clear that he wasn’t planning to leave while Armin ate. He was given no other choice. 

He ate the meal and just as Reiner had promised, he could not taste any traces of that horrid medicine in his food. 

As the dishes were cleared off of the tray, and Reiner took it away to be washed, seconds ticked by while Armin waited for the effects of his medicine to kick in. To his dismay, it only took ten minutes for his head to grow heavy and his eyelids to fall shut like they were made of lead.

~Happy Ending~

After Armin left, Eren had taken to wandering around the party aimlessly. He was sure Bertholdt was somewhere around here, but he didn’t search for him. There was no way of knowing who else could have been connected to his past; all of the strangers filling the room sparked no familiarity as Armin had. 

The room was lively but the drone of its patrons only served to irk Eren as he struggled to pick up another bit of information about himself. A few times other party-goers had even tried to approach him for some friendly mingling only to get snapped at in response. It seemed that after that he seemed so unapproachable that no one else even tried. Eren didn’t mean to come off as rude; usually, he wouldn’t mind the social situation, especially with how little he got out, but tonight he felt rushed. Eren couldn’t say that this looming feeling could be trusted, but there was a nagging sense of foreboding that something bad might happen soon.

Turning a corner brought Eren to a vacant hallway. He breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he finally found a place of refuge where he could gather his thoughts. A few tepid steps down the hall revealed an open door to Eren which he passed through. He found himself in a quiet little bathroom, the perfect place to hide for a moment. Eren made haste in locking the door and stared into the mirror.

All night, anxious thoughts swirled through Eren’s head and refused to leave him in peace. It made it difficult for him to think rationally. In a futile attempt to calm his tension, Eren splashed cold water on his face. Things were going nowhere. He could always try to track Armin down again, but causing a scene would do little more than stir up trouble. Eren needed to think: was there anything he could have possibly been missing? He had wandered through the crowd for nearly an hour and memorized every face that dwelled within it; there was no one he held even a slight recognition of.

Eren took a deep breath and dried his face. He sat atop the closed toilet and held his head in his hands.

Was he making this more difficult than it needed to be? Maybe Eren was simply blind to the answers that were right in front of him just because he didn’t want to acknowledge them. He would be lying had he said he had not picked up on a few unpleasant truths in his search for his memories over the past few weeks. Eren couldn’t come to terms with what he was uncovering, but if he didn’t then he would be the only thing holding himself back.

Stubbornness might be his downfall if he wasn’t careful. 

With this thought in mind, Eren stood up; all thoughts of interrogating strangers were forgotten as he left the bathroom in search of the one man he knew would have all the answers. He knew he was acting impulsively, but he would need to go through with this before he talked himself out of it yet again. Eren just hoped he might be able to see through deceit this time. 

The crowd seemed suffocating as Eren tried to worm his way through a second time. Another ten minutes left him more agitated than before; he had a firm plan in place and nothing to show for it. Bertholdt was nowhere to be seen. Yes, Eren had been the one to initially ditch him in favor of speaking alone with Armin, but damn it he shouldn’t be this hard to find. Bertholdt was supposed to stay by his side all night! 

So much for that. 

A soft hand brushed past Eren’s and pulled him from his thoughts when a short blonde woman passed by. He couldn’t get a proper look at her face when she passed, she wore a beautiful leather mask over her eyes with a peculiar looking beak over the nose. It stood out, especially since this was not a costume party, but all the other guests ignored this mysterious girl as she slipped between them sporting a glass in her hand. 

There it was, the compelling recognition Eren had been searching for. He turned on his heels and followed the woman, who took quick glances back at him as though insuring that he was still following her. She definitely knew something. 

Eren did his best to keep up with the masked woman but found that he was quickly lost in the crowd. Every now and again he caught a glimpse of that unmistakable golden hair or the odd leather mask, but he could never close the distance. 

It was not until Eren was sure he had seen the girl head out the door that he felt he finally had a chance at catching her, he broke away from the party once again and found the cool night air much less claustrophobic. He was finally able to breathe properly, but when he looked around, the woman was nowhere to be seen. 

Instead, he found Reiner and Bertholdt seemingly fighting not too far from the door. 

~Happy Ending~  
A week before the party...

The early afternoon had bestowed a warm, sunny day; beautiful weather if one were to spend it outside curled up next to a tree as Eren often did. He took refuge beside his favorite tree, that, in addition to the gentle breeze that wafted through, eased the heat of the day to a comfortable medium while he flipped through the pages of a new book. 

Even after having spent hours in the garden, Eren had barely moved past the first couple of pages. His eyes scanned the paper but held no cognizance of the story he read. He felt far too distracted by the multitude of thoughts that swam through his head; they made it nearly impossible for him to focus properly. 

All was well in Eren’s life and he really could not complain; he loved his home and his husband but he could not deny the painful void within him that seemed to grow stronger with every passing day. More than that, weeks were trickling into months after Eren's accident and he still had not recovered any of his memories.

The most Eren could say he could recall was bits and pieces of his past that teased him in his sleeping moments only to mostly disappear once he woke. There was one fraction of his dreams that never left him, though. The face of someone he was sure held a lot of importance.

Eren tried not to think about it, he shoved the thoughts of his amnesia to the back of his mind and instead let it wander to his alpha who he wished he would return home soon. If there was one thing Eren would change about his life it would be the mundanity of it all; waiting for his mate to return every day was inordinately dull.

It was still early and it would be hours before his mate would return, so Eren kept finding himself trying to pull his attention back to his book. His eyes skimmed the pages languidly, with dwindling interest. The book had been a gift and since he was so intent on occupying himself, Eren wanted to indulge in the story, but maybe he could blame his lack of interest in the story rather than his wandering mind. 

Another ten minutes passed before Eren finally gave up his effort with a sigh. He closed the book and tapped his fingers against the hardcover idly. Usually reading was his favorite way to kill time but maybe he could find something else. The brunette hoisted himself up to head back inside; being left alone with his thoughts had left him perturbed and antsy, he figured the best way to relax would be through a long soak and maybe a nap. 

A nap that would reveal that face again.

With this thought in mind, Eren headed towards his room and settled into the attached bathroom to draw a pleasant bath. 

Warm water swirled around Eren’s soft skin and the fragrance of the lather seeped into every corner of his mind and cleansed it of any and all boredom, stress, or longing just as well as it cleaned his body. Eren’s mind was comfortably numb, the soothing bath lulled him into a stupor as he watched his toes swirl around in the water. 

The passage of time went unnoted and Eren was not entirely sure just when his consciousness had slipped away from him. The siren’s call to sleep had been too strong for him to ignore and before long he had felt his heavy eyes closing against his will. 

The white walls of the bathroom began to swirl and dance before the omega’s eyes, suddenly the lavish bathroom that he was accustomed to was painted in a dark crimson and gold decor. Eren lifted himself from the tub he sat in, finding rose petals floating in the water as he stepped out onto the cold monochrome tiles.

A red robe hung just beside the only door, without hesitation Eren took the silky fabric and slung it over his shoulders. Leaving the bathroom led him to a room that was an imitation of his own, although far more extravagant. The theme of red and gold that had filled the bathroom seemed to extend across the entire room. A grand canopy bed with silky red curtains held to the fixtures with gold lacing, sat at the center of the room; in the corner sat a dark oak chair beside a matching table, atop it a bundle of roses sat in glass vase laced with gold; the windows had velvety red curtains with gold sequence. 

Out of nothing short of pure curiosity, Eren approached the window, drew the curtains back, and looked out the window to see a swirling mass of black and white fog. How pleasant. He rolled his eyes and let the curtains fall back into place. This was not the first time he had such odd dreams, but it was the first time that the dreams left him in such a bizarre setting and he could not even begin to guess the reason behind it.

Regardless of the oddities, Eren’s adventurous nature spurred him to explore a little further. He was curious as to what else the strange dream would have in store for him, but the moment he approached the door and reached for the handle, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

“And where do you think you’re going?” a low, husky voice called out. 

Just the tone alone had sent a shiver down Eren’s spine. It stirred something inside of him that he had not even realized was there. The sound was so familiar, it brought back an even more familiar ache in Eren’s head that came whenever he tried to think back on his missing memories.

Eren turned on his heels and saw the man of his dreams. This came as a shock to Eren, not only had he been so encaptured by the strange dream that he had forgotten about his night time companion, but never had he heard the man’s voice in his dreams.

A man with pitch-black hair and piercing steel eyes was looking back at him with an expectant expression. He sat with his legs crossed on the edge of the bed bed, as though he had been waiting for hours rather than just appearing out of thin air.

“Levi.” Eren breathed out as though it was second nature. He prayed that he might remember that name upon waking.

“Aren’t you going to answer me?” Levi asked. He beckoned Eren with one finger, and the omega went to him without a second thought. 

“I…” It was as though Eren had completely forgotten how to speak, he shook his head as though to clear the daze it was in before trying again. “I was just going to look around.” 

“Hmm, what is there to look at?” Levi raised an eyebrow. He wrapped an arm around Eren’s waist as soon as he was in range and pulled the brunette into his lap. “Shitty brat. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you to come back to me?” He muttered, pressing his lips against Eren’s neck. 

“No, I’m not really sure. I can’t remember anything further back than the past month or so.” Eren admitted, making no move to resist Levi’s affections. 

"I can't say I'm surprised. It explains why you have not returned to me in so long, but the mark I gave you would never let you forget me entirely." Levi said with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. 

Eren wore a puzzled look, the mark that adorned his neck tingled the moment Levi touched it, and yet it made little sense to him. Why did he feel a sense of completion when Levi held him like this, and if the mark on his neck was from said alpha, then why was Eren not beside him instead of Bertholdt?

“I still don’t remember…” Eren started quietly. His focus was faltering, the scent that spilled from Levi had his head spinning and filling with need. There was an instinctive pull that Eren could not ignore nor did he want to. 

In a second, Levi had Eren flipped onto his back, he loomed over him with a smirk that made the omega feel as though he was about to be devoured. 

“Then I’ll just have to unearth those memories myself, won’t I?” Levi purred. His hands slipped beneath Eren’s robe, and with the tug of the lace that held the revealing piece together, it fell open and left Eren a flushed mess surrounded by a sea of red silk.

The burning desires that coursed through Eren could hardly be contained now that the flame had been lit. Every tantalizing touch sent off a flurry of emotions that drew him into the abysmal need to fill the void he had felt as far back as he could remember, ignoring the fact that he could not remember all that much. 

The only thought that ran through Eren’s mind when Levi unclothed himself and filled him was an overwhelming urge to complete their bond. His teeth ached to sink into the unmarked flesh of his alpha and solidify the union which he could hardly even remember, but one fact stuck out like a sore thumb; although strange, this was nothing more than a dream. 

As soon as Eren’s teeth sunk into Levi’s neck, he woke with a gasp. 

Eren found himself back in his bathroom, the water now chilled and leaving him freezing. He let out a shaky breath as he drained the water and held his head. Even though the experience had been nothing more than a dream, Eren felt painfully hollow the moment he woke. So much so that he could barely pull himself to his feet.

This dream had been different, Eren could feel it. He couldn’t remember much but in addition to that face-- that voice. Eren remembered a name, the name ‘Levi’. 

Although the goal had been to feel more relaxed, Eren felt even more high strung than he had before his bath, not to mention the physical strain that erupted from nowhere. It felt almost as if his heat was starting again but Eren knew it was a month or two away.

Carefully, Eren pulled himself from the freezing tub and wrapped a soft towel around himself; he headed out of the bathroom, into the bedroom and immediately was gifted a much needed distraction. 

An elated smile lit up Eren’s face as his eyes fell on his beloved husband, who looked as though he had just gotten home. He sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes on Eren with an expectant look and just as he anticipated the omega greeted him as he usually would

“Bertholdt! You’re home early” He cooed, striding over to his alpha and straddling his hips. 

“I finished up a lot faster than usual.” Bertholdt hummed as Eren pressed a soft kiss against his lips. His hands snuck around the omega’s waist, fitting against his form perfectly. “I figured you would be bored at home by yourself.” 

“Mhmm” Eren seemed as though he was paying little attention, those lips of his were gliding across his mate’s neck with intent; his hands rested against Bertholdt’s chest, unbuttoning his shirt gingerly. 

Well, that was an interesting way to say hello, even for Eren, this much had definetely not been expected.

“Wait, Eren, I just got home.” Bertholdt laughed, though he had no intention of stopping the little minx.

“I missed you.” Eren crooned.

When he behaved like this with that sultry look in his eyes, Bertholdt found it hard to resist him. The taller man’s hands slid down Eren’s waist allowing him to admire the subtle dips and curves until they rested on the brunette’s rear. The boy was a temptation and he knew it; he let his towel fall to the ground, leaving himself bare for Bertholdt to feast his eyes over. 

“I’ve been waiting for you all day.” Eren continued lowly, lightly biting the tip of his mate’s ear.

While Eren was not usually one to be so forward when it came to sex, He was feeling an insatiable sexual appetite all of a sudden. Maybe a quick round would help ease the emptiness he felt.

“Oh really? I’ve been thinking about this all day.” Bertholdt said, flipping Eren over onto his back with one swift movement. The alpha loomed over his lovely little mate and began peeling his shirt off, indulging in the look Eren was giving him. 

Eren bit his lip, it didn’t matter how many times he saw Bertholdt naked, the man was stunning and it never failed to get him wet in an instant. He wrapped his legs around Bertholdt’s waist, urging him closer. Eren shuddered in anticipation once he felt the bulge in his mate’s pants rub against him. He wriggled his hips, mewling softly at the friction.

“You’re so impatient, but it can’t be helped– I did keep you waiting” Bertholdt murmured. He leaned down to scatter gentle kisses over Eren’s neck. With the roll of his hips, he ground against the brunette and drew a needy moan from his lips “But you’ve been a good boy all day, haven’t you?” 

“Yes, sir.” Eren gasped. 

Bertholdt smirked; Eren knew just how to get him bothered, but as soon as they began he would fall apart with just a little teasing. He slipped lower, taking the omega’s plush thighs in hand and pulled them apart with no resistance. The alpha let his kisses migrate down to the supple thighs, his gaze not leaving Eren for a second while he watched his eyes cloud over with lust. 

“You act as though you haven’t been touched in weeks.” 

“I can’t help it, I always want you inside of me,” Eren whined. His breath hitched and a wanton moan escaped his lips; Bertholdt lapped at his slick entrance shamelessly. He sucked at the ring of muscles, humming in approval as the last shreds of Eren’s composure diminished. 

A blissful pleasure mixed with the aching need to be filled, teasing Eren in the most deliciously cruel way. Bertholdt’s tongue prodded at the hole, enticing it to relax beneath his ministrations; one of them had to be patient, and most certainly would not be Eren. The alpha refused to hurt him from a lack of preparation. 

“Ahn~ Bertholdt…” Eren cried out. The pleading in his tone demanded Bertholdt’s attention, but the alpha simply sat up and pressed two fingers shallowly into his mate. 

“Hmm, you’ve waited this long, can’t you wait just a little longer?” 

“Nooo!” Eren panted out, his insides eagerly sucked in the man’s fingers, but it was not nearly enough to do anything more than intensify his aphrodisia. 

Bertholdt chuckled and continued to shower Eren in affectionate kisses, settling for his stomach. he wanted to take his time tasting every bit of his mate, but he knew that his impatient omega would be unwilling to wait much longer. The alpha curled his fingers languidly, listening to the pitched sounds spilling from Eren's lips.

After ensuring that Eren was relaxed Bertholdt sat up, undid his pants, and pulled out his neglected erection. 

Eren's gaze fell on his alpha, silently begging him to cut to the chase and it seemed like Bertholdt was finally willing to give him what he wanted. The brunette’s mouth fell open with a silent cry once his mate’s impressive length pushed inside him, stretching him open in a way that would satisfy his aching need. 

In a way that should have satisfied his aching need. Just as Eren so often did he felt as if proper satisfaction was outside his grasp, a detail that never failed to bring crushing guilt down on him but instead of thinking of that now, he focused on the man in his arms. 

Bertholdt moved slowly, once he bottomed out he gave Eren a moment to adjust before he dared to move. Soon enough, Eren was squirming impatiently. 

"Bertholdt!" He pleaded again. 

Rather than answering, Bertholdt knocked the air from Eren's lungs with the single thrust of his hips. The sound that left Eren's lips was sinful. Tender displays of affection mingled with rough handling, soft kisses against Eren's neck were accompanied by a bruising grip against his waist and a brutal pace set by his alpha. 

All lucid thoughts easily dripped away from Eren's mind as he indulged in such instinctively driven behavior. His teeth itched to bite down into something, in an attempt to quell this desire Eren's teeth sank into Bertholdt's shoulder blade harshly. His nails accompanied them by embedding themselves in the alpha's back. 

A growl erupted from Bertholdt's lips as he winced in pain. His assault of Eren's ass did not let up, but he did grab at his naughty little hands. 

"That wasn't very nice." Bertholdt teased. Of course, he was not all that bothered by the gesture, even if it was uncharacteristic of Eren to do outside of his heat. The look on the omega's face after the scolding was priceless. 

"'M sorry," Eren said in earnest. His wrists found purchase in the sheets below but one expertly aimed thrust on Bertholdt's part nearly had Eren shredding the sheets in his grasp. He threw his head back as wave after wave of pleasure began shaking him to his core. From there Eren knew he was a goner, he spilled over his own chest within seconds. He had no time to recover, and soft cries from overstimulation escaped his lips. Eren fell limp against the sheets and accepted the apologetic kisses that Bertholdt littered against his neck until finally he finished as well and pumped Eren full. His knot slipped into Eren's abused hole easily and he fell beside the omega. Bertholdt quickly flipped their positions so Eren lay against his chest, looking quite content at that.

With the heated passions of sex simmering down, Eren settled for nestling his head against his mate’s neck. He seemed sedated for the moment, though the nagging cravings he could never quite shake had only been quieted for the moment.

“I have something to tell you,” Bertholdt said. He lazily sifted his fingers through Eren’s hair while his free arm was wrapped around the omega’s waist. 

“What is it?” 

“About a week from now there’s a party we need to attend. I guess some of the people I work with are all going to gather together.”

“Oh, is it a special occasion?” Eren asked with a smile. The prospect of a party— being able to get out of the house in general— had him immensely excited. 

“I’m not quite sure” Bertholdt answered honestly. Annie had not explained her reasoning behind why they were holding this party, to begin with, but even if she had he doubted it would be anything he could have told Eren. 

“Well, I’m looking forward to it.” Eren yawned. 

“You shouldn’t, it’ll probably be boring.” 

“Even still,” Eren muttered as he closed his eyes. Within moments he was falling back to sleep while listening to the steady rhythm of Bertholdt's heart. Once again the cycle continued with dreams that he could never remember. 

~Happy Ending~

The Afternoon Before the Party… 

With only a few hours remaining before the long-awaited party, Reiner thought to check on Armin. Maybe he could convince himself that his clingy behavior was partially due to the near-death experience Armin had gone through only a few weeks prior or maybe he was becoming suspicious that the omega was up to something, but regardless he found himself hovering around Armin more often than before. 

Entering their shared room revealed Armin in front of the vanity mirror, pinning his silky blonde locks up. Reiner vaguely took note that Armin was wearing the earrings he had gifted him during another time when the facade of their marriage had been going strong. Armin looked absolutely stunning and had yet to even dress; he stood only in a pair of shorts. Maybe that was part of the appeal. 

A fond smile crossed Reiner’s lips as he stepped up behind Armin and circled his arms around his thin waist. “You seem excited for tonight, but you should hurry, we still have a few more things to finish up.” He murmured, pressing soft kisses against Armin’s bare shoulder and neck. 

“I know, I just need to get dressed. Then I’ll be finished.” Armin beamed. He turned on his heels and wrapped his arms around Reiner’s neck. “I’ve been looking forward to this all week.” 

“I’m glad to hear that. After being bedridden for weeks, it’ll be a nice change of pace, hmm?” 

Armin’s brow furrowed and unspoken words hung between the two for a moment. Neither wanted to speak too deeply about how sickly Armin had been for a multitude of reasons. 

It was Reiner who broke the thick silence by clearing his throat. “I was a little worried you might find a gathering such as this to be boring.” 

“You’ll be here with me, right?” Armin crooned.

A smirk grew on Reiner’s face. He easily lifted Armin by his waist as though he weighed nothing and placed him atop the surface of the vanity. “I’m here with you now, aren’t I?” He said suggestively while his hands slid against the omega’s smooth skin. 

Armin hummed in approval and wrapped his legs around Reiner’s waist, drawing him closer. Their lips met in a virtuous kiss where the couple indulged in their closeness. That soft, innocent touch was enough to further spur the red desires that dwelled within the two mates; the slow methodical kiss sped into a hasty and heated show of passion that nearly had Armin’s head spinning once he finally broke away to take a much needed deep breath. 

They didn’t have time for this now, and Reiner was well aware of that. 

“As you said, I need to hurry” Armin spoke softly, his fingers trailed down the dress shirt Reiner wore. 

Reiner hummed in acknowledgment but busied himself with latching his lips against Armin’s neck. The sweet taste of his omega was nearly intoxicating, something he blamed on the aspect of their bond. The way Armin’s delicate fingers moved along his neck and how he so eagerly fitted himself into his alpha’s hold; it was enough to draw Reiner in despite his usual contempt for their fraudulent relationship. His wandering hands cupped Armin’s plush rear, earning him a melodic giggle. If only they had more time, Reiner would have his omega wrecked beneath him. 

“I need to finish getting dressed,” Armin said reluctantly. 

“Ah, I know. I’ll let you finish up.” Reiner sighed and released Armin from his hold. He took a step back lest he wished to be pulled back in by their inescapable pull. 

“You’ll have me all to yourself tonight, don’t forget,” Armin said, pressing a chaste kiss to the alpha’s lips. 

“I think I can manage to wait that long.” Reiner grinned. He left the room, closing the door silently and heading back to check on what else needed to be finished. 

The moment Reiner was out of sight, Armin’s expression fell as his mind raced. There were so many things on his mind, and he had been waiting for this night for so long, he only hoped that everything would go well. 

Armin slid off of the countertop and dressed in a white blouse which he accompanied with a form-fitting black vest. A dark beige pair of pants and brown leather boots topped off his rather eye-catching outfit, and turning towards the mirror reassured Armin that he was just about ready. The addition to a subtle stain to his lips and a hue of pink powder to his cheeks was all he needed before he deemed himself ready for the evening.

With one last glance at the mirror, Armin made sure he had not forgotten a single detail before turning and heading out of the room to rejoin his alpha. 

~Happy Ending~

After weeks of nothing other than small glimpses of Levi trickling into his waking moments, Eren had been convinced that this person held a significant role in his life. That being the case, he often wondered why he had never seen or heard of him since the accident. 

Obviously, the best course of action would have been to question Bertholdt on the subject, but something in Eren’s mind left him feeling that the subject was a delicate one. Maybe it was the inherent idea behind how he was sure Levi was an alpha, but even if he was a beta there was the chance that it might be a touchy subject regardless. 

Since Eren didn’t want to approach the topic poorly and possibly upset his husband unintentionally, he waited until Bertholdt was already in a good mood before carefully bringing it up. Even then he made sure to gauge Bertholdt’s reactions. 

The two had just finished dinner, and while one of the servants cleared the table, Eren took a deep breath. 

“The doctor said that my memories should come back eventually, and even though it’s already been a lot longer than she had predicted, I think something has been coming back to me.” Eren started slowly. This statement was harmless enough, but it was enough to catch Bertholdt’s attention. 

His gaze was locked on Eren’s as he hummed, compelling him to continue. 

“It’s nothing much, I can’t remember anything other than a face,” Eren said as he thought back on it himself. “And a name. Did I know a man named Levi?” 

Bertholdt had to force himself not to visibly lock up, but of all the things that came back to Eren it had to be him. Of course, it did, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t know why. Though he kept his composure, tension was building and they could both feel it. 

“Mmm, I don’t recall anyone by that name. What does he look like?” Bertholdt asked, carefully calculating just how to handle this situation. Things had been going so well this time, there was no way he was letting Eren’s memories get wiped again, starting from scratch so many times was not only exhausting but a mentally taxing procedure. 

“Well, he’s short. I remember he has black hair and grey eyes. He’s pretty pale, too if that helps.” Eren said carefully. Maybe he was desperate for the reassurance that Levi actually existed, but if Bertholdt, a man who had been beside him nearly his entire life, didn’t know Levi then what were the chances?

“No, I’m sorry, it’s not ringing any bells,” Bertholdt said, offering a sympathetic smile. 

Something in that smile wasn’t sitting right with Eren. While he hated to think that his husband would lie to him about anything regarding his missing memories, it might have been spurred by jealousy. 

Eren smiled sadly and nodded. “Well, it was just a dream anyway, I guess I shouldn’t read too much into it.” 

Their conversation ended at that, but the tension had not left. Bertholdt excused himself and had locked himself away in his study for the remainder of the evening. It furthered the idea that he had been lying, and Eren felt a bittersweet comfort by that idea. 

That night had done wonders to lift Eren’s spirits. For the first time since the accident not only did he have a dream that he remembered in full down to the most minuscule detail, but it revealed more to him than just Levi. 

Eren woke and sat up from his bed finding a stark white room surrounding him. It was void of anything outside of his bed and a doorway. Looking down showed a sight Eren had never seen in any of these dreams: beside him, Bertholdt lay still sleeping. Never had his husband appeared beside him from what he could recall, but then again he could never recall much from these dreams. 

Without giving it much thought, Eren swung his legs off of the side of the bed, standing on the cold marble floor and crossing to the door. When he passed through he saw Bertholdt still entirely undisturbed and he made a mental note to try questioning him later. For now, he was curious to see what else this dream held. 

Eren did not get very far down the seemingly never ending hallway before he heard the soft tapping of shoes coming from behind him. He turned his head to find a short blonde woman wearing a plague doctor’s mask along with a long cloak. The purpose of such odd attire eluded him, but for the sake of simplicity, he did not question it. 

“Eren, how are you feeling lately?” A strangely soft and motherly voice called out despite the overall intimidating appearance that the girl imbued. 

“Fine.” 

“You’re lying.” The girl giggled out. “Tell me honestly, it’s safe to do so here.” 

Eren’s brow furrowed into an expression of pain as he glanced back behind the woman. 

“He’s still asleep.” The girl said. Eren found it odd that she didn’t tease him for assuming Bertholdt might even remember any part of his dream, but he once again said nothing about it. 

“I’m confused,” Eren said more honestly as they continued walking down the plain hallway. 

“I understand why. You’re unable to decipher just what’s going on.” The girl nodded. 

“Can you tell me anything about my missing memories?” Eren asked. 

“No, I wish I could, Eren, but even if I did it wouldn’t help you.” The girl said sadly. “You need to recover them on your own, but don’t worry, when you do things will get better.” 

“What do you mean ‘better’?” 

“You know what I mean. That emptiness you’ve been feeling, it’ll go away.” 

Eren nodded and they continued walking in silence a bit longer. The hallway was slowly fading from a pure white to an ashen grey and soon enough it was darkening to black. No light accompanied the dark hall anymore and Eren took a few steps back from the terrifying pitch black. He couldn’t see his nose in front of his eyes. It was terrifying. 

“What’s wrong?” The girl asked, appearing from the darkness in front of Eren as she backtracked as well. 

“I don’t want to go any further,” Eren said sheepishly. He hated to admit that he was scared, but this was not like a child being afraid of the dark and they both knew that. 

“Eren, this is important. You can’t discover the truth if you don’t let yourself.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean you have to make the choice. Do you want to live the beautiful lie or do you want to know the ugly truth.” The girl said firmly, and suddenly he understood. 

Whatever lay beyond that crippling darkness must have been something Eren didn’t want to know, but the girl was right, he needed to learn to accept it. He tried to will himself forward but before he could decide for himself, a red ribbon shot out from the darkness and wrapped around his wrist. It pulled for Eren to return into the darkness and sent a cold feeling of dread down his spine. Instinctively, he fought against the pull, only for two more ribbons to shoot out, wrapping around his free wrist and left ankle. 

Eren wasted no time in his struggle. He turned and began running in the opposite direction. Soon enough the ribbons broke once he escaped further from the ashen walls back to the pure white that the hall had been before. Even once Eren was free he didn’t turn back. He couldn’t face the woman that had ceased to follow him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to see her face but he also knew she would be disappointed in him; he was disappointed in himself.

Sprinting down the hallway revealed that the trip back towards the pristine white room was not nearly as long as the trip away from it. Eren passed through the doorway and without missing a beat, he slammed the door behind him and fought to catch his breath. 

The door slam reverberated much louder than it should have, it startled Bertholdt awake from the bed and instantly his eyes were on Eren. 

“Are you alright?” He asked. 

“Yeah.” 

“Come back to bed. You shouldn’t go out there, nothing good will come of it.” Bertholdt said, visibly relaxing at Eren’s response. 

The omega nodded and walked back towards the bed, he didn’t miss just how Bertholdt supported his decision not to leave this room, but for now, he couldn’t bring himself to try leaving again.

Eren slid beneath the covers and nestled himself against Bertholdt’s chest, painfully aware of how strongly he was embracing his cowardice. 

~Happy Ending~

The sounds of the party echoed from outside the study. Armin was in a cold sweat as he stared down at the book beneath him. It was singed, and even though the memories had long since been erased from his mind, just holding the book in his hands was enough to bring back a blurry memory of how he had watched Reiner burn it. It was terrifying for him to realize just how powerful this book was, but he knew better than anyone else that its magic was innocent in contrast to whatever dark magic held him here. 

Armin flipped the pages and what he remembered to once have been neatly written stories were now hurried scribbles that he could only just barely make out. Still, the omega’s eyes were glued to the damaged pages as he flipped through, his eyes widening as it revealed more to him than he could have ever hoped to grasp before. It pointed out one thing painfully clear, Eren was the only one who had a chance of getting out of this unscathed; in addition, Armin had little to worry about with his friend. If he wanted to get out of this alive he needed to act more selfishly. 

A shaky breath left Armin’s lips, as he read the implication on the pages. He knew exactly what he would have to do, but he wasn’t sure he had the strength to do it. Regardless of whether or not he was capable, Armin still put the book aside and sifted through the bottom drawer of Reiner’s desk, procuring a dagger from the very bottom. 

With little other option, Armin hid the dagger beneath his clothing and took a few more deep breaths before putting his fake face back on and leaving the room in search of Reiner. He had seen the man head outside with Bertholdt after, no doubt, watching his interaction with Eren early that night. Why the two were fighting, Armin was not entirely sure since Reiner was usually very quick to blame him over Eren. Still, here Reiner was defending Armin in favor of blaming Eren for what was obviously another hiccup in their plans. Armin wasn’t sure what was worse, he was still worried for Eren and even more so knowing that what he would do next would likely make things a hell of a lot more difficult for him. 

Weaving through the crowd was usually an easy feat, but with a concealed blade on his person, Armin was far more conscious of himself and how close others were to him. If anyone were to feel the blade on his hip and realize that an omega was carrying a weapon they likely would not keep quiet and his entire plan would be blown. 

Making it to the edge of the room and finding a window revealed that Reiner and Bertholdt were still outside, and their argument only seemed to be escalating. Armin slipped out through the side door and quickly approached, not wanting either to think that he could have been eavesdropping though he knew exactly what they were speaking about already. 

“Reiner!” Armin called out, the fear that was shaking him easily being mistaken for concern. 

“Armin, what are you doing out here?” Reiner called out, and Bertholdt was instantly silent, though his gaze held nothing but contempt as it fell on Armin. 

“You’ve been out here for over an hour, please come back inside,” Armin said more softly, trying to calm his racing heart. Maybe he was making this more difficult than it needed to be, but he already had his mind made up. 

Reiner glanced back to Bertholdt, it was clear that this discussion was not over, but he went back inside with Armin regardless. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that we were taking so long.” Reiner sighed as he walked beside Armin. 

“It’s alright, come with me,” Armin said, nodding his head towards the hall. 

“Shouldn’t we be getting back to the party?” 

“After that, I think you need a moment to wind down,” Armin answered. He led Reiner back to their room, where the alpha sat on the edge of the bed.

Armin took a seat beside Reiner and grasped at his hand. “What was that about, anyway?” He asked, though he didn’t expect a straight answer. 

“It doesn’t matter. Bertholdt is just being a dick.” Reiner said, clearly still irked by the argument. 

“Anything I can do to help?” 

“Probably not.” 

“How about with you?” Armin asked, swinging his leg over and seating himself comfortably on Reiner’s lap. He was well aware of the placement of his dagger, but as long as he made this quick, it likely wouldn’t be an issue. 

“There are people out there, Armin…” Reiner said.

“Just a little bit, please?” Armin pleaded, coming off more desperate than he would have liked. 

Reiner’s eyes looked over Armin slowly before he nodded and wrapped his arms around his waist. 

Damn that was close, had the dagger been just slightly more to the left he would have felt it for sure. 

Armin didn’t dwell on it knowing that timing would be everything here. He wrapped his arms around Reiner’s neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss. The omega hummed contently when Reiner reciprocated the kiss with feverish movements. Knowing he would have to cut things short, Armin did his best not to get Reiner too riled up, the omega would have a difficult time stopping himself as it was. 

Armin’s fingers strung through his alpha’s hair and when the dizzying feeling of their kiss began affecting him for the second time that day he knew it was time to stop. He broke away with a smile that he could only just barely force. 

“What’s this all about, are you trying to comfort me or did something else happen?” Reiner asked, rubbing Armin’s back leisurely. 

“I guess you could say I’ve had something on my mind, is all,” Armin said. He stood from Reiner’s lap, making sure he was a good distance away from him before turning his back to him. 

“What is it?” 

Armin looked down at where he felt his dagger to be hiding. He had to act now, there was no other way around it, but he still wasn’t sure he could do it. Still, he wasn’t sure just how much longer he could go without being discovered, and the more attention he drew the harder this would be.

“I just wanted to thank you,” Armin said, feeling tears burning the corners of his eyes. He suspected this was the first time he had been able to be honest with his ‘husband’ “For everything.” he said, with one last glance towards Reiner. 

Confusion covered Reiner’s face, but he had not caught on to what was happening until it was too late and the dagger was already in Armin’s hands. He was on his feet instantly, but by the time he had moved to grab the dagger, it was already deeply embedded in Armin’s stomach. 

Nothing could be done. It would take hours to contact Annie, and even if Reiner could get her here in time, she was an inept healer. Reiner did his best to stop the bleeding, but Armin had already pulled the blade from his stomach and blood was gushing from the wound. 

Time felt like it was moving in slow motion. Once the life drained from Armin’s eyes, Reiner was still sitting on the ground holding his inanimate form in his arms. He wasn’t sure just how long he had sat there unable to move, all he could think of were his regrets for never truly having a proper handle over Armin. 

Eventually, Reiner had to stand up. He gently lay Armin’s body back against the floor, as if he might hurt him if he was too rough. Of course, his first line of action was that he needed to inform Bertholdt and after that, he would need to contact Annie. 

Without missing a beat, Reiner was tramping down the hall. When he came upon the main room where the party was being held, the lively chatter simmered down to hushed whispers rather quickly. Had his head not been such a mess, Reiner wouldn’t have forgotten that his once white dress shirt was now covered in blood, he probably should have changed. 

Reiner grunted in irritation and held his head in his hand. He couldn’t see Bertholdt among the crowd, but it didn’t matter. Soon enough Bertholdt had broken away from the crowd after spotting him.

“Reiner, what the hell?” Bertholdt hissed out quietly. 

“I need to talk to you right now.” 

“You need to go change, where did all this blood even come from?” 

“What the hell do you think I need to talk to you about?” Reiner snapped. 

Bertholdt just huffed, neither of the two alphas were pleased with each other after their earlier fight, but until Reiner explained what was going on, Bertholdt wasn’t going to instigate another one. 

Without waiting for Bertholdt to follow, Reiner was storming back down the hall. He had intended to show his companion just what had happened, but as he reached his hand out towards the door, he found himself unable to make himself face the scene he knew lie behind it. 

“What is it?” 

“Armin killed himself.” 

“Might I assume that’s why you’re covered in blood, why haven’t you changed yet?” Bertholdt snorted. 

Reiner narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t sure just why Bertholdt’s response shocked him so much, after all, this was the same man that had wanted to kill Armin in the first place. Even knowing this, it pissed Reiner off to hear Bertholdt taking this so lightly, or maybe he wanted to blame him for this. 

What Armin had said before he died— had he heard what Bertholdt had said about wanting him dead? Would he have assumed that it would be better to go out on his own terms? 

Maybe Reiner just wanted someone to blame for all of this, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to be Armin. 

“I guess you got what you wanted, huh?” Reiner laughed bitterly, turning back to Bertholdt. 

“Look, we both know it’s for the best, so why don’t you just let it go?” 

Reiner gritted his teeth and turned on his heels in an instant. Just as quickly as the words left Bertholdt’s mouth, Reiner’s fist collided with his face and he was on the floor. 

“I’m contacting Annie. You can deal with this damn party.” Reiner said coldly as he stepped over Bertholdt and left. 

Armin had never felt pain as strongly as what he had experienced after stabbing himself. His death was not a quick one, especially not while Reiner was desperately trying to keep him alive. All it did was prolong the inevitable and further Armin’s pain. 

If Armin had any regrets, it was that Reiner likely did not know what this death would mean. He likely didn’t realize that Armin would just awaken in his own body. Although the alpha had made him a prisoner and Armin was sure that whatever he felt for him was either a result of their bond or maybe brainwashing, Armin still didn’t want to hurt him like that. 

After what felt like hours of agony, Armin awoke gasping and sputtering in his own body for the first time in months. While he wasn’t sure just what to expect given that his memories still weren’t completely intact, he had never expected this. 

“Welcome back.” A blonde woman with a crazed grin announced once Armin sat up on his cot. He wasn’t sure where he was, but he was certain that he was in a bad situation. 

~Happy Ending~

Before the fight broke off, before Armin had pulled Reiner away, Eren had stood beneath the sky weighing his options. Bertholdt stood only a few meters away, not-so-quietly fighting with Reiner. Eren couldn’t quite make out what was being said from where he was but he knew that if he listened in there would be no more turning back. He had been led here for a reason, and now it was time for him to make his decision.

Despite the fear he had initially had about learning of the truth, Eren was hellbent on not turning away from it this time. He slowly and quietly approached the two, making sure he was well out of sight. 

“... Why are you so intent on blaming Armin for this, wasn’t it clear that your little lover boy was instigating that conversation?” Reiner threw out with venom. 

“Why are you defending him? I thought you hated the brat! Besides, Eren has to be getting these ideas from somewhere and you saw how Armin reacted. He knows something and it’s just a matter of time before he taints Eren as well.”

“Did you forget that I only just wiped his memories again? He couldn’t have regained them that fast.” Reiner narrowed his eyes. “Besides, you’re keeping a marked omega beside you, of course, he’s going to remember his mate, who is fated to be with him.”

“That means nothing!”

“You would like to think that, wouldn’t you? You have such an inferiority complex, you know you can’t hold a candle to them, I honestly can’t believe you still think any of this is real.

“And what about you, huh? Clearly, you’ve got something for that brat if you’re still defending him. We should have killed him a long time ago, then we wouldn’t even have these problems.” 

“Don’t lump me in with you, I don’t do anything outside of what’s expected of me, and we’re not killing him! If Annie wanted him dead she would have killed him by now, she wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of kidnapping him.” Reiner shot back. 

“Eren!” A voice called out from behind the omega, making him jump through his skin. 

“Shh!” He hissed quietly. 

“They can’t hear me.” The masked woman said, looking to the ongoing fight in front of them. “There’s not much time left. You need to make a choice now, you won’t get another chance.” 

“What is this all about. They want to kill Armin?” 

“Just Bertholdt, I think.” 

“And what was that about me having a mate!?” 

“Keep your voice down or they’ll hear you.” 

“How can I keep quiet about this, this entire time I thought Bertholdt was my mate!” 

“We don’t have time for this Eren, you already know all of this. You just need to face it yourself.” The girl pleaded.

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Focus. You can use your magic outside of just your dreams, you just need to focus.” 

Eren went quiet, it sounded crazy that his dreams had been magic but it made sense in a way, or maybe it just felt right that it was. That didn’t change the fact that there was still one problem. 

“I don’t know how.” 

“You do. You can never forget the magic that lies within you, you just need to concentrate and picture that hallway again.” The girl said. “You need to do it now.” 

Eren nodded quickly and closed his eyes. He willed himself to see that white hallway, the hallway of lies he let himself believe in. He knew now, more than ever, it would be dangerous for him to stay there. 

It took seconds, the cold night air fell away to be replaced by the warmth of the indoor hall. Eren opened his eyes and could no longer hear even the bickering match that had been taking place. Bertholdt, Reiner, and even the masked girl were gone and Eren was left on his own. 

With the speed of his previous retreat, Eren shot down the hall. White walls soon faded to grey, and grey to black. This time, Eren didn’t hesitate to run into the pitch-black hall. Red ribbons once again found themselves tangling around his limbs, begging him to come further towards the truth. In no time at all the darkness began fading away into the memories of his childhood. 

Eren remembered the death of his parents and living in Shinganshina. He remembered living alongside Bertholdt and suddenly losing his potential mate. He remembered going to the castle and his initial hatred for Levi who quickly seeped his way into Eren’s heart and became his lover. He remembered falling ill and finally, he remembered waking into a completely new life. 

Eren remembered every little hint he had been given along the way, the help he had received from day one. He remembered the lies, he remembered all of them. It had been so long, Eren’s life had been a fabrication this entire time and he had been unable to escape them. But now he had the key he needed to finally free himself of the lies for good. 

Pain struck through Eren’s entire being as he urged himself further. He couldn’t see it but the end of the hallway was close. He could wake up soon. He pushed his legs to carry him faster, feeling an overwhelming need to speed through this or else he would be sucked back into that horrid white room filled with lies.

All at once, instead of finding a door, Eren fell off of a ledge instead. The fall felt endless, or maybe he wasn’t falling; Eren couldn’t tell which way was up. Tumbling around endlessly, he began to feel a persistent pain throb across his entire body.

Through the haze of his fall, Eren heard a shout that vaguely sounded like his name. It sounded so distant, but the further Eren fell the closer those shouts were.

“Eren?” 

Every fiber Eren’s being was on fire, he could barely focus on anything but the pain. In no time at all, the burning need for air filled his entire being, he wasn’t breathing at all.

“Eren!” Again the voice was closer.

A wave of suffocation took over as Eren was finally one with his own body again. His lungs screamed for air but he still couldn’t breathe, why couldn’t he breathe? 

All at once a stale breath of air was forced into his lungs, only partially remedying the need but doing enough to give Eren time to figure out why he was suffocating.

“Eren, stay with me!” The voice that had sounded so far off before was now just above Eren. Along with that voice was a crushing sensation against his chest, something was pounding against him with so much strength he was sure his ribs would crack. 

Eren sputtered and coughed before finally being able to inhale properly. Sweet fresh air filled his lungs and his eyes shot open. His heart raced as though it might burst, and he looked around as his body slowly came down from the hypersensitive state that had been fueled by an adrenaline rush. 

“Eren!” Levi was hovering over him, straddling the omega’s hips. “God damn it, I thought I lost you!” He sobbed out, clutching onto Eren’s shirt and collapsing against him. His composure immediately breaking down once he saw that Eren was still alive. 

“Levi, you should back up so he can breathe properly,” Erwin suggested, but it fell on deaf ears.

Eren said nothing, he just wrapped his arms around his alpha tight. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Levi this upset, and now he remembered every moment they had ever spent together; it didn’t suit him. 

“You’re awake!” Hange screeched as they ran into the room at full speed with Petra just on their tail. 

“What happened?” Petra demanded, looking at Levi. 

“One minute Eren was fine and the next he had stopped breathing,” Erwin stated, knowing full well that Levi still hadn’t recovered yet. 

Hange made a beeline for Eren and practically threw Levi off of him to get a better look at his body. 

“It was my fault,” Eren admitted sheepishly. 

“What?” Hange shot back

“You used your magic, didn’t you?” Petra asked “Knowing you, you probably used way too much at once. In addition to the curse, it nearly killed you.” 

“He used his what now?” Hange asked. 

“Eren has magic. I discovered this a while ago, but I haven’t had time to properly discuss it with anyone.” Petra laughed. 

“If he didn’t, he would have fallen ill like Armin had, isn’t that right?” Erwin asked. 

“Correct. I assume that’s why he was able to wake up so many times before he fell back under the curse’s influence.” Petra grinned. She figured Erwin had already figured it out by now, he was a perceptive one.

“Right, and now I really need to break this damn curse, once and for all.” Eren huffed out, swatting away Hange’s searching hands only to bring about pterodactyl-like screeches from the equally irritated doctor.

“You figured out how to break it?” Petra asked. 

“I think so, but I can’t do it until you LEAVE ME ALONE.” Eren hissed. 

“You almost DIED.” Hange shrieked. 

“And you’re about to actually die!” Eren retorted. 

“Hange, let's give him a moment. If he can break the curse now, we need to do that before anything else.” Petra said, pulling her mate back. 

Hange nodded reluctantly and like that, all eyes in the room fell on Eren. It was clear they expected him to do this in front of them. 

“You know, this is kind of a private matter. I would appreciate it if you guys would maybe leave.” Eren deadpanned. 

Of course, Erwin and Petra were adults about the matter, but Hange let out a very loud and equally uncalled for groan as the three of them left the room. 

Levi, whose eyes were still red from crying, looked at Eren with an expression that made it clear that he wouldn’t be argued with. “I’m not going anywhere.” He said stubbornly. 

“Well, that’s good, because I kind of need you here for this,” Eren said, a small smile forming on his lips. 

“Well, what is it you have to do, don’t tell me it’s something stupid like ‘true love’s kiss’ or I might throw up. I’ve already fucked you many times anywa— OI, BRAT!” Levi hissed once Eren’s teeth sunk into his neck. “A little warning next time, maybe!?” 

“There won’t be a next time, that mark isn’t going anywhere.” Eren teased. He licked over the mark as blood began to stream down Levi’s neck and smiled contently at himself. “I missed you so much.” 

He may not have been able to remember Levi for the majority of the time he was gone, but Eren knew that the aching he had felt that entire time was his need to be beside his mate. 

“Yeah, I missed you, too,” Levi said, circling his arms around Eren. 

It seemed like things might go back to normal for them, but Eren knew that was just hopeful thinking. Things wouldn’t be quite normal just yet. There was still Armin to worry about, after all.

The silence couldn’t last forever, and Levi was the one to break it. 

“Are you sure this broke the curse?” he asked, pulling Eren’s shirt off just to ensure that none of the curse marks were still present. 

Miraculously, they were all gone. 

“Yeah, I am” 

“How did you figure out that this would break it?” Levi asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Well, in a dream I had about you I felt the urge to mark you… and then again when I was with Bertholdt, but of course that wouldn’t have done anything.” Eren admitted after a moment of thought. 

“So let me get this straight. You had a dream inside of a fake reality where you instinctively wanted to mark me, and then again inside that same fake reality, you wanted to mark your bastard ex? That’s how you figured this out?” Levi furrowed his brow. 

“Yeah, I guess so, why?” Eren blinked. 

“That’s bullshit.” 

“Levi” Eren laughed. “Just be happy I figured it out.” 

Levi narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. “I know you care for that guy and everything, and I stole you from him and everything but I think I hate him.” 

“I understand.” Eren frowned. 

“I might kill him.” 

“Levi!” 

“Fine, I won’t kill him! But he’s still a piece of shit.” 

“Oh my god, would you just lay down already?” Eren sighed. 

“Wait, hold on.” Levi stood up and none too ceremoniously slammed the door and locked it. 

“Hange’s gonna bite you.” 

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Levi shrugged. He collapsed beside Eren and pulled him tight against his chest. 

Eren smiled, and for the first time in months, he felt complete. For the first time in months, he knew nothing could tear him away from his mate. Except maybe Hange, it seemed like they were already trying to break the door down…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAH hahaha I'm having so much fun with this. Don't ask me why i made this so much more dramatic than it needed to be, cuz honestly I don't know. I just like messing with the characters I guess. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm sure many of you will pick up in the contradictions in the personalities of nearly EVER character heavily featured in this story, if anyone has any ideas as to what might be going through my crazed head, I'd love to hear some theories ;) if not, it'll be revealed soon enough anyways. 
> 
> ALSO! Thank you to everyone who has made it this far, I'm so sorry I can't post as much as I like between my job, writers block, and my stupid need to write really long chapters... But I appreciate you all and would love your feedback. 
> 
> Things are gettin guuuuud 
> 
> I suspect we may have anywhere from two to four chapters left, so hang in there!


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